The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is participating in a state-wide speed awareness campaign running through the end of the month.

Lieutenant Brad O’Dell said funding for the enhanced patrols is obtained through grants administered by the Oregon Department of Transportation. O’Dell said deputies will be assigned to work overtime throughout the county, specifically tasked with educating drivers on speed related violations.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2020, 11,258 people were killed in speed related crashes in the United States. That same year, 53 percent of speeding drivers in fatal crashes were not wearing safety belts.

For more information on the dangers of speeding, go to; https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/speeding