Speed kills. That has proven to be the case many times in recent history of Lyon County.

The Lyon County Sheriff’s Department announced this week that it’s joining forces with other Law enforcement agencies in Southwest Minnesota on Thursday to curb speeding on roadways. The agencies will be focusing on Highway 14. It’s part of a statewide speed enforcement campaign through July 23.

The sheriff’s department reminds us that getting a ticket should not be the only reason drivers should be concerned about exceeding the speed limit. One startling statistic was that during the 100 deadliest days in the past five years, preliminary numbers show that 109 people lost their lives in speed-related crashes.

The combination of speeding and following too closely has proven to result in deadly consequences too many times.

The office of Traffic Safety at the Department of Public Safety reminds us that the faster drivers go, the the more potential loss of vehicle control. At 80 mph, the Office of Traffic Safety states it takes 315 feet to come to a complete stop. But taking reaction time into account, it takes 394 feet.

Bad, aggressive drivers are usually guilty of other dangerous decisions besides speeding. They ignore traffic signals and weave in and out of traffic. They will also make hand and facial gestures, scream, honk and flash lights.

When confronted by an aggressive driver, it’s recommended that you get out of the way, stay calm, do not challenge them, avoid eye contact ignore gestures and don’t return them. You can also report aggressive driving. If you can do it safely, get the vehicle description, license number and location.

And there’s no sense in getting mad at the police officer or deputy who ends up giving you a ticket for bad driving. Don’t blame them for increased insurance rates. Their job is make sure everybody is safe on the roadways.

Let’s get to our destinations safely. It might take a little longer, but it will be worth it.