INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis City-County councilors are partnering with other fellow councilors, IMPD and the city to launch a project to combat reckless driving.
Since the pandemic, the city has seen an increase in reckless driving leading to traffic accidents and deaths.
Councilor John Barth said he receives messages of concern related to traffic safety every single week.
According to data from the National Safety Council, traffic deaths around the U.S. increased 8% between 2019 and 2020, even though the average number of “vehicle miles” traveled by U.S. residents went down by 13%. Marion County was reportedly well above the national average.
Barth said irresponsible drivers took advantage of the decrease in traffic during the lockdown months by racing, speeding and generally ignoring traffic laws.
The councilor and neighborhood groups in his district claim the area of 38th Street and Michigan Road has gotten particularly bad, calling it "a racing strip." Councilor Kristin Jones said it's the same thing with Madison Avenue and US 31.
In response to this growing issue and concerns for safety in our neighborhoods, councilors, IMPD, and the city are launching a project to combat reckless driving with increased enforcement in traffic “hot spots” around the city, along with a public education campaign.
“Councilor Barth has been a diligent advocate for traffic enforcement and safety on behalf of his constituents,” IMPD Chief Randal Taylor said in a release, “and, frankly, I think what he’s trying to do for his district is worth expanding to the rest of the city. I’m committed to allocating the resources needed for this important initiative.”
A proposal to allocate additional funds for traffic enforcement by IMPD was scheduled to be heard in committee Wednesday evening.
