Jennings County officials praise rural safety effort

A project to increase the number of drivers in rural areas wearing their seat belts is being called a success in Jennings County.

Robbie Amos, Sheriff’s Department spokesman, said Wednesday that Indiana’s Rural Destination Project lasted three weeks. During this period, he says that officers wrote 15 tickets for seat belt violations, one child-restraint violation and two tickets for running a stop-sign, among others. In addition, Amos says that 16 speeding arrests were made and 25 warnings were written.

Jennings County Sheriff Gary Driver praised the Rural Destination Project. “Ensuring even one more driver wears their seat belt while behind the wheel is a success for us,” he said. Sheriff Driver went on to say, “This project allows us to increase our seat belt usage conversations and enforcement within counties that currently carry the highest percentage on non-resistant fatalities, and for that, we are grateful.”

The Rural Destination Project is paid for via federal highway safety funds administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.