TOLEDO, Ohio — The Toledo Police Department will conduct two city-wide traffic enforcement blitzes focused on distracted and impaired driving throughout the month of October, according to a press release from TPD Tuesday.
The first blitz, which began on Oct. 5, will last through Oct. 19 and focus heavily on distracted driving and use of cellular devices while driving. Enforcement will be concentrated to major roadways, including areas with a higher number of reported crashes and traffic complaints, a TPD spokesperson said in the press release.
This comes as Ohio's distracted driving law became enforceable on Oct. 5, creating stricter rules around the use of cellular devices in vehicles.
A weekend traffic blitz conducted by Ohio State Highway Patrol Findlay District with a similar focus yielded 24 citations relating to the new law.
The second enforcement effort will focus on drivers under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, and will last from Oct. 20 to Oct. 31 to coincide with Halloween celebrations in the community. It will also focus on major roadways with higher reported traffic crashes, police said.
According to the press release, part of this enforcement will be funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through a grant administered by the Ohio Department of Criminal Justice Services, Ohio Traffic Safety Office. A TPD officer said in an additional press release the department received the grant, which is listed as $102,252.40, to pay officer's salaries during these enforcement efforts.
Law enforcement and safety agencies statewide received similar grants, TPD said, to focus on traffic safety priority areas such as speed limits, restraint use, impaired driving and more.
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