TOWN OF DUNN, Wis. -- Local drivers with lead feet may want to ease up on the gas pedal, as the Dane County Sheriff's Department has announced new funding for speed limit enforcement in what they consider to be key problem areas.

A $22,000 grant is going to cover a speeding crackdown in the townships of Albion, Christiana, Vienna, Windsor, and Dunn.

Law enforcement were in the Town of Dunn on the first day of the new initiative.

It didn't take long before Dane County Sheriff's Deputy Todd Doscher spotted their first speeder, a man who Doscher clocked at 67 mph in a 55 mph zone, although the speeder claimed to be going only 56 mph.

Despite his arguments, the man was issued a citation for speeding.

As part of this effort, deputies claim they will now have zero tolerance for speeding violations.

The five townships chosen were selected because of their status as populated townships located near busy highway and Interstate systems.

According to Doscher, "those places have shown to be statistically the highest places for accidents, which is why the focus is on those townships."

The state Department of Transportation's 2007 statistics claim that last year there were more than 23,000 speed-related crashes on Wisconsin roads. About 251 people died in those crashes.

As part of this new project, three additional deputies will work throughout the county looking for speed, alcohol, and seatbelt violations.

The sheriff's department hopes drivers will comply with the new enforcement.

"We want people to slow down, monitor their speed, drive safely, and pay attention," said Doscher.

The new initiative is scheduled to run through September of 2009.