Program Planning, Development & Evaluation Honorable Mention: Illinois State Police for Tazewell County Teen Initiative
Between March 2005 and July 2006, fifteen teenagers died in traffic crashes on Tazewell County, Illinois roadways. This was a marked and disturbing increase over what is typically an average of one to two fatalities annually.
The Illinois State Police District 8, along with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), the Tazewell County Sheriff, and the Tazewell County Coroner convened numerous local and state authorities and stakeholders to discuss this situation and determine how to make immediate and long-term improvements to address this problem.
The outcome of the combined efforts of the State Police and persons/ organizations representing the 4Es (Enforcement, Education, Engineering and Emergency Medical Services) was the Tazewell County Teen Initiative, a creative and ambitious initiative that sparked a multifaceted public awareness campaign targeted to schools, hospitals, emergency response teams, media and the private sector.
The initiative included special enforcement campaigns staffed by officers from every police agency in Tazewell County; educational programs developed by students, teachers and school administrators; 1.2 million dollars in road upgrades facilitated by IDOT and the Tazewell County Traffic Engineering Department; and educational programs and equipment donated by corporations such as Ford Motor Company Foundation, Caterpillar Tractor Company, and State Farm Insurance.
Since the program was launched, there have been no teenage traffic fatalities in Tazewell County, truly a safety success.
For more information, contact:
Captain Dean Kennedy
Illinois State Police
Telephone: 309-383-2171
Email: kennedd@isp.state.il.us
Rev. 10/30/07