This week a year ago, the lives of five young men were ended far too soon during a horrific traffic accident just inside the Chilton County line.

On March 26, 2011, four Indiana high school seniors returning home from Spring Break were killed after another vehicle driven by a 21-year-old from Troy crossed the median and hit them. All five died from their injuries.

To do everything possible to help prevent another tragedy, the Clanton Police Department conducted a traffic blitz this week along Interstate 65.

With the additional presence, officers hope drivers slow down and pay more attention to the road, according to Capt. Neil Fetner.

“The main thing we are focusing on is safety,” Fetner said. “We are just reminding everyone to take it easy on the highways.”

Over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday, officers wrote a total of 80 violations, which included 54 warnings, between the 205 and 212 exits.

Officers were looking for things like not keeping reasonable and prudent speed, weaving/reckless driving, expired tags, failure to signal lane changes and violations of the state’s move over law.

The majority of the tickets written were for no insurance or insurance that had expired, for which warnings aren’t given, and reckless driving.

It might sound obvious, but Fetner said drivers really do change their behavior when they know officers are out patrolling.

“You see a difference in the driving,” he said.