With the Fourth of July weekend quickly approaching, local officials are urging people to be cautious and stay safe.

"We want people to have a good time, but be safe," said Kosciusko County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine. "We are asking people to use basic common sense and treat others the way they want to be treated.

"On the Fourth of July, we get a lot of neighbor complaints about loud music or rudeness."

Of course, one of the most popular activities on the Fourth of July is watching or setting off fireworks.

In the past, setting off certain types of fireworks was prohibited. Now that Indiana law has changed, setting off most fireworks is no longer illegal in the state.

"We are urging people to be safe with the use of fireworks," said Rovenstine. "Mainly, people should be aware of the new fireworks laws."

The recently adopted fireworks law sets rules for who can use and buy fireworks, where they may be set off and the penalties for improperly using fireworks.

Only people over the age of 18 may purchase any type of firework, and children may only use fireworks when an adult is present.

Fireworks only can be set off on the user's property, special discharge locations or the property of someone who has given consent for fireworks to be used there.

Anyone who violates the new law faces penalties ranging from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class C felony, depending on the severity of the violation.

The law also specifies when fireworks may be used. Fireworks only may be used between the hours of 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. on regular days. On holidays, such as Fourth of July, Memorial Day or the Fourth of July, fireworks may be set off 24 hours.

According to Mike Wilson of the Warsaw Fire Department, fireworks may be set off any time Tuesday, but the regular fireworks rules apply for the days before and after the holiday.

While fireworks now are legal in Indiana, safety remains a concern.

One of the easiest ways to stay safe when using fireworks is to use common sense. Adults always should supervise children using fireworks such as sparklers. Children should never be allowed to play with large fireworks.

Fireworks should be used in an open outdoor space away from buildings, trees and dry areas, and fireworks should never be pointed toward people or animals.

While fireworks will be a popular activity for the Fourth of July, many people also will head to the lakes this holiday weekend.

"The lakes will be crowded, and we are expecting a lot of visitors to the county," said Rovenstine. "We ask that people follow safe boating rules and exercise caution while on the lakes."

Those who plan to spend the weekend on the lake should expect to see lake patrol officers out in full force.

Along with increased traffic on the lakes, the traffic on the highways will increase as well.

County officers will be enforcing Click-It Or Ticket checkpoints and extra driving-while-intoxicated patrols.

"Of course people should not drink and drive," Rovenstine said.

Between Friday and Tuesday, the Indiana State Police will have extra officers on the roads to enforce safety projects such as Operation Combined Accident Reduction Effort, Statewide Driving Under the Influence Project, Click It Or Ticket and Operation Pull Over. Officers will use marked and unmarked vehicles along with the motorcycle fleet and department aircraft to watch for traffic violators.

According to the Indiana State Police, the state recorded 947 deaths on Indiana's roads in 2004. In 2005, the number of fatal accidents dropped to 938, including 24 people over the Fourth of July holiday. As of mid-June, the number of deaths was reduced by 64 over the same time period last year.

"We are hoping for a good, safe holiday weekend," Rovenstine said. [[In-content Ad]]