Lights for Lives campaign a success

VW independent staff/submitted information

Participating agencies said the 12th annual “Lights for Lives” was a successful operation once again, showing what can be accomplished by law enforcement working cooperatively in a multi-agency, multi­ jurisdictional effort.

In the spirit of collaboration, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Findlay District, worked with law enforcement agencies in Williams, Fulton, Lucas, Defiance, Henry, Wood, Putnam, Paulding, Hancock, Van Wert, Allen, and Hardin counties participated.

Lights for Lives is a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional, cooperative enforcement campaign focused on officers activating their overhead lights and stopping as many vehicles that have committed traffic violations to save as many lives as possible. It began at 6 a.m. November 24 and ran through 6 a.m. November 26, which kicked off the holiday driving season.

During the 48-hour operation, officers reported stopping nearly 700 vehicles and issued 230 citations. There were 18 Safety Belt citations issued, 13 Distracted Driving citations issued, while seven impaired drivers were removed from Ohio’s roadways.

Law enforcement officers remind motorists to always buckle up, slow down or move over for stopped traffic, plan ahead and never operate a vehicle when impaired by drugs and/or alcohol.