MOUNT VERNON — Knox Public Health has received a $27,500 grant from the Ohio Department of Public Safety to promote traffic safety awareness in Knox County.
This annual competitive funding is used to coordinate initiatives led by the Knox County Safe Communities Coalition, which KPH coordinates.
There are five traffic strategies that the Safe Communities Grant is focusing on and they are: increasing seat belt usage, increasing seat belt and impaired driving awareness, increasing motorcycle safety awareness, coalition building and fatal data review.
The coalition works closely with local law enforcement, and other related agencies to bring awareness to traffic safety trends seen in Knox County. Local traffic safety trends are identified through concerns addressed by local residents and crash data provided from the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
“Our goal every year is to reduce the number of traffic fatalities in our community, each life lost is one too many,” said Suzanne Dapprich, Knox Public Health’s Safe Communities Coordinator.
“So far this year, there have been two traffic fatalities in Knox County. That’s a decrease from last year in 2023 when there were six. Since 2020, there have been 28 people killed in Knox County. Impaired driving, speed and lack of wearing seatbelts/helmets are Knox County’s top traffic fatality trends.
For more information or to get involved with the Knox County Safe Communities Coalition, contact Suzanne Dapprich at 740-392-2200 x2225 or sdapprich@knoxhealth.com.
To learn more about Knox County Safe Communities or Knox Public Health visit KnoxHealth.com. To stay up-to-date on Safe Communities topics, follow Knox Safe Communities on Facebook @safecommunitiesknoxcounty.