Traffic safety organizations will promote speed safety at Wilson's Creek battlefield

National and statewide traffic safety organizations are coming together to promote speed enforcement along Route 66.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Region 7, in collaboration with the National Park Service, Missouri and Illinois Departments of Transportation, Missouri State Highway Patrol and ThinkFirst Missouri, is hosting a speed enforcement tour through the Midwest next week. NHTSA's Region 7 includes Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Arkansas and Nebraska.

The organizations will be promoting the nationwide speed campaign "Speeding Slows You Down" at several locations along Route 66, including at 10 a.m. July 17 at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. Representatives from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Missouri Department of Transportation, a physician from Mercy Hospital and others will be at the national park to discuss the dangers of speeding and riding unbelted. Members of the public are welcome to attend the free event.

The tour will also be stopping in St. Louis, Fort Leonard Wood, Carthage, Joplin and Galena, Kansas, next week.

Enforced by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the "Speeding Slows You Down" marketing campaign will be heavily pushed through the remainder of July to drivers. Aspects of the campaign include social media posts, roadway message boards and digital advertisements.

Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. She has more than five years of journalism experience covering everything from Ozarks history to Springfield’s LGBTQIA+ community. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at[email protected].