Lee County traffic safety to get boost via federal grant

DIXON – The Lee County Sheriff’s Department will be stepping up traffic safety efforts after receiving a federal grant.

The department was awarded a $17,423 Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program, or STEP, grant focusing on “high-visibility enforcement and strategies aimed at saving lives and preventing injuries by reducing traffic crashes,” according to a news release.

“We’re pleased to receive this grant to step up our road safety efforts with the goal of saving lives,” Sgt. Derek Ranken said. “Our mission is to make travel safer through directed, proactive patrols and to stop, cite and arrest those who choose to violate traffic laws.”

During the STEP grant year, which runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2023, the sheriff’s department will conduct additional enforcement efforts. These will supplement mandatory and optional campaign enforcement dates scheduled during some of the deadliest times of the year.

The enforcement efforts will focus on the leading contributory causes of crashes: speeding, impaired driving, electronic device use, failure to yield and disobeying traffic control signals. Seat belt violations will also receive attention.

The STEP grant comes from federal highway safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation.