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In 2004, Illinois posted the lowest number of traffic fatalities
since 1943. The Illinois Department of Transportation reports that
86 percent of drivers observed were wearing their seat belts in
2004, up 10 percent from just two years ago.
The governor also announced that Illinois is participating in the
national
"You Drink & Drive. You Lose" campaign, with a 17-day
enforcement period that centers around Labor Day. Illinois will
invest $950,000 in the public awareness campaign, coupled with more
than 200 roadside safety checks by state and local police.
(Rebecca: we should include the stepped up enforcement and DUI
checkpoints in the first paragraph of the release; that's the bigger
news hook than the safety plan)
"We have brought together some of the best and the brightest in
the state in terms of traffic safety and law enforcement, and we
asked them to put together an aggressive action plan to save lives
on our highways," the governor said. "And that's exactly what they
did. We've got a lot of hard work ahead of us to reach our goal of
reducing traffic fatalities to below 1,000 by the end of 2008, but
we now have a road map for how to get there."
The Comprehensive Highway Safety Plan focuses on what are known
as the four "e's" of highway safety -- engineering, enforcement,
education and emergency services -- and integrates these into all 10
emphasis areas. The plan brings together safety organizations and
state and local agencies to build upon existing resources and
deliver a more focused and coordinated safety effort.
The 10-targeted areas of emphasis
are:
- Alcohol and other impaired driving
- Driver behavior and awareness
- Highway-railroad grade crossings
- Information systems for decision-making
- Intersections
- Large trucks
- Roadway departure
- Safety belts, occupant protection
- Vulnerable users -- pedestrians, bicyclists and
motorcyclists
- Work zones
For each of these areas, the plan reviews recently implemented
tactics, lays out the primary challenges and offers a set of
proposed new strategies. Implementation of aspects of the plan will
begin immediately.
In the area of alcohol and other impaired driving, for example,
the plan calls for -- among other things -- focusing more resources
on high-visibility enforcement actions, tougher enforcement of
underage drinking laws, working with prosecutors and courts to
reduce repeat DUI offenses, and support for Illinois State Police
efforts to develop eye-scan technology to detect impaired drivers.
In March, Blagojevich directed Department of Transportation to
develop the Comprehensive Highway Safety Plan. In the months
following, the department brought together public and private
transportation professionals, state and local law enforcement
officials, and others to determine what needs to be included in the
plan.
"The CHSP signed by Governor Blagojevich today gives all of us
who have a vested interest in highway safety a clear vision of where
we need to focus our resources in the coming months and years," said
Illinois State Police Director Larry G. Trent. "To save one life
would make it a worthwhile endeavor, but to save over 300 lives
would be heroic."
The Department of Transportation is charged with implementing the
comprehensive plan, which the new federal transportation bill
requires states to have by Oct. 1, 2007. Illinois is ahead of many
other states with this effort and is being looked to as a model for
its plan.
"Traffic deaths and injuries are both a major public health
concern and an economic issue," said Illinois Department of
Transportation Secretary Timothy W. Martin. "Traffic crashes are the
leading cause of death for children and young adults. On top of
that, crashes cost the Illinois economy $10.5 billion a year in
terms of property damage, medical and legal costs, lost wages, and
the cost of emergency services."
As he outlined Illinois' long-term plan to reduce traffic related
deaths on our highways, Blagojevich also detailed enforcement
activities and urged motorists to use caution as they drive during
the Labor Day holiday weekend. Illinois is participating in the
national "You Drink & Drive. You Lose" campaign, with a 17-day
enforcement period. This is the second coordinated national
crackdown effort since all 50 states adopted the .08 blood alcohol
content law.
The effort combines focused law enforcement efforts with a
coordinated education campaign. Nationally, $14 million will be
spent on a public awareness campaign, the largest advertising
campaign since the program debuted in 1999. Here in Illinois, the
$950,000 public awareness campaign will be backed up with more than
200 roadside safety checks by state and local police.
[to top of second column in this article] |
 In addition to increased law enforcement, as
motorists hit the road this holiday weekend they can also expect to
encounter record-high gas prices. The governor pointed out that
while a gallon of gasoline is more than $3 at stations across
Illinois, drivers can save money on fuel by slowing down. According
to estimates by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, driving at
65 miles per hour increases fuel consumption by 15 to 20 percent
compared with driving at 55 miles per hour.
"I understand that families may be in a hurry to enjoy the last
long weekend of the summer. But, slowing down may save you from
getting into an accident and save money," the governor said.
In an effort to bring down the price of gas at the pumps,
Blagojevich sent a letter to the President on Aug.17, asking him to
open the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The governor sent a second
letter Monday, renewing his call in the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina's destruction. [See related
article.] On Wednesday, President Bush decided to tap the
reserve to replenish supplies disrupted by Hurricane Katrina. [See
related
article.]
In his letter Monday to President Bush, the governor pointed out
that in 2000, an oil swap was used to withdraw 30 million barrels
over a 30-day period. The move helped bring prices down by more than
$6 per barrel and wholesale gasoline prices by 14 cents per gallon.
At that time, a barrel of oil cost $33. Today, that same
barrel of oil costs more than $67.
The governor also asked Attorney General Lisa Madigan to
investigate price gouging at Illinois gas stations. The governor
urged Illinoisans who suspect cases of price gouging to report their
suspicions at
www.illinois.gov/gasprices. The price monitoring website is part
of the governor's efforts to boost fuel supplies and help reduce the
demand for gasoline. His efforts also include promoting the use of
renewable fuel and encouraging state government to use renewable
fuels.
Furthering efforts to promote renewable fuels, the governor on
Wednesday awarded grants to 30 gas stations around the state to help
them convert regular gas pumps to E-85 pumps. [See related
article.] E-85, an advanced hybrid of ethanol that is 85 percent
ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, is between 15 and 50 cents cheaper
than a gallon of regular gasoline, saving consumers $8-$10 every
time they fill up their tanks. According to the National Ethanol
Vehicle Coalition, there are 4.5 million E-85 compatible vehicles on
U.S. roads, including various models of the Ford Taurus, the Dodge
Stratus, the Sonoma GMC pickup and the Ford Explorer.
In March of this year, Blagojevich launched his E-85 Clean Energy
Infrastructure Program, making $500,000 available to gas stations to
convert pumps to E-85. About 70 gas stations around the state offer
E-85 to motorists.
In addition to trying to bring the
price down at the pumps and promote renewable fuels, the Blagojevich
administration has previously taken a number of steps designed to
improve traffic safety prior to adopting the Comprehensive Highway
Safety Plan. These include:
- A law that bans teen drivers from carrying more than one
passenger for the first six months after receiving their
license.
- The primary seat belt enforcement law, which allows officers
to stop and ticket drivers for not wearing a seat belt.
- A law that raised the age at which children must be in
booster seats from 4 to 8.
- A law that bans drivers under the age of 18 from using a
cell phone.
- A law requiring drivers under 18 to ensure teen passengers
are properly buckled up in the front and back seats.
- Laws that allow photo speed enforcement in work zones when
workers are present and increase the fines for speeding in a
work zone.
- Tougher drunk driving penalties.
Illinois Department of Transportation safety experts believe
these measures are having a positive effect. Seat belt use has
climbed steadily, from 76 percent in 2003 to 83 percent in 2004 and
86 percent in 2005. Last year's fatality numbers were 98 less than
the previous year.
The Comprehensive Highway Safety Plan was developed by the
Illinois Department of Transportation in coordination with the
Illinois State Police, Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, the
departments of Public Health and Central Management Services, the
State Board of Education, and the secretary of state. Participants
in the creation of the plan will be reconvening in 2006 to evaluate
the progress that is being made.
The full Illinois Comprehensive Highway Safety Plan is available
to the public at
www.dot.state.il.us.
[News release from the governor's office] |
