CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — The Champaign County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday morning that it will be joining a state-wide effort to increase traffic safety patrols.

Sheriff Dustin Heuerman said in a news release that more than 200 local law enforcement agencies — along with the Illinois State Police — will increase patrols for speeding and other traffic violations throughout the month of July.

“Over the past few years, we have seen an increase in careless and risky driving,” Heuerman said in the release. “No matter how safe of a driver you think you may be, speeding is dangerous and reduces your time to react if something unexpected happens. Speed limits aren’t a suggestion; they are the law.”

In the past seven months, the Sheriff’s Office investigated 173 crashes — 51 of those crashes involved injuries. Heuerman added that five people died in three different fatal crashes.

During the speed limit enforcement campaign, Heuerman said there is an easy way to avoid a ticket: drive the speed limit. In urban areas without a posted speed limit, drivers should not drive over 30 mph; in a rural area, the speed limit is 55 mph.

The patrols will increase in Champaign County — and the state — from July 8 to July 31. The enforcement effort is a part of the “Speeding Catches Up with You” campaign and supports IDOT’s “It’s Not a Game” media campaign.