NATCHEZ &045; People are dying on Adams County’s roads, and officials are ready to do something about it.

Adams County ranks fifth in the state in per capita deaths on its roads. From 2000-2003 there were 2,541 traffic crashes in the county. In 2000 speeding was recorded as a factor in 870 accidents.

Due to the high number of deaths, the state’s Public Safety Commission contacted Sheriff Ronny Brown.

&uot;They are saying we’ve got a problem and we need to address it,&uot; Brown said. &uot;People have got to slow down, and it needs to be now.&uot;

Brown said the speed limit on most county roads was 45 miles an hour, but that many people claim to not know the limit.

One of the solutions on Brown’s to do list is putting up more speed limit signs, but that will have to be approved by the Board of Supervisors first.

In the meantime Brown said he is focusing on educating the public of the dangers of speeding. Sheriffs in the state of Mississippi cannot legally have radar in their car, but they can still stop speeders, Brown said.

&uot;We are talking to officers on the street and telling them to be more aware,&uot; Brown said. &uot;If they see someone they can make the call and stop them for traveling too fast for road conditions and write a ticket.&uot;

Other programs in the works include the Junior Deputy Program, where officers educate school children about speeding and encourage them to get parents to slow down. Brown also has several speaking engagements lined up with civic clubs and churches in order to stress obeying the speed limit.

Mike Duper, who teaches driver safety courses at the University of Mississippi, said there was no guarantee that educated drivers would slow down.

&uot;Rational thought would tell you that the faster you go the greater chance you have for accident and the greater chance of serious injury or death from that accident,&uot; Duper said. &uot;But in the people I’ve taught, I still can’t guarantee any less tickets or speeders.&uot;

In case driver education doesn’t work in Adams County, Brown has several backup plans. The county qualifies to apply for grant money through the state Public Safety Commission that can be used not only for education but to pay overtime wages to officers who do extra patrolling or work at road blocks, he said.

&uot;The grants start after July,&uot; Brown said. &uot;Everything we can apply for we are going to apply for and utilize.&uot;

The county is also looking into a legislative bill that would allow sheriff’s officers to use radar in certain areas to slow down speeders.

And ultimately, if speeding continues the Board of Supervisors said it plans to install speed bumps or humps in high-speed areas. Brown and the supervisors consider speed bumps a last resort because of the damage they can do to cars and complaints from citizens.

&uot;It’s a two-way street,&uot; Brown said. &uot;People are going to have to work with us or we are going to have to put down speed bumps.&uot;

District 5 Supervisor S.E. &uot;Spanky&uot; Felter said slowing people down was a top priority of the board.

&uot;I just wish people would have a little respect for the kids in these neighborhoods,&uot; Felter said. &uot;Ever since I’ve been in office, that (speeding) is probably the biggest complaint.&uot;