 "Police across the state will be sacrificing time with their own
families during the holidays to keep the roads clear of drunk
drivers and to help ensure that the rest of us can have a happy and
safe holiday season," Blagojevich said. "The message is simple: If
you drink and drive, you lose. So please make sure you have a sober
designated driver."
Blagojevich administration officials, joined by the secretary of
state and representatives from the anti-impaired driving group MADD,
announced the stepped-up DUI enforcement efforts at a series of
three news conferences around the state: at the Sangamon County Jail
in Springfield, the St. Clair County Jail in Belleville and the Cook
County Jail in Chicago.
The roadside safety checks and saturation patrols are paid for
with federal traffic safety funding from IDOT's Division of Traffic
Safety as part of the "You Drink and Drive. You Lose" campaign. IDOT
is providing $750,000 to pay for police overtime for the patrols and
$450,000 for an accompanying media campaign.
"It is a top priority of mine to use the resources of my office
to combat drunk driving," said White. "I recently spoke with people
who have lost loved ones to drunk drivers. The heartbreak and grief
these victims endure is unimaginable. Over the holidays, the
Secretary of State Police is teaming up with IDOT and law
enforcement agencies around the state in a vigilant effort to
prevent fatalities and injuries caused by drunk driving."
"This holiday season, all of law enforcement will be mindful of
the threat impaired drivers place on every family," said Illinois
State Police Director Larry G. Trent. "The Illinois State Police
will team up with more than 170 law enforcement agencies to crack
down on those who become impaired and then choose to get behind the
wheel. The majority of traffic fatalities during last year's
Christmas and New Year's weekends were alcohol-related. In an effort
to change that statistic, the ISP will be conducting special patrols
targeting impaired drivers. We are hopeful drivers will make the
responsible decision not to drive while impaired so law enforcement
officers don't have to make that decision for them."
There were 32 alcohol-related fatalities in Illinois during
December 2006. During the 2006 Christmas holiday weekend alone,
eight out of the 10 motor vehicle crash fatalities that occurred
involved at least one driver with alcohol in his or her system.
During the 2006 New Year's weekend, six out of 13 fatalities were
alcohol-related.
Overall, 2006 was the safest year on Illinois roads since 1924,
with a total of 1,254, which was 109 fatalities fewer than the year
before. This year, as of Dec. 17, the state is on pace to set a new
low since 1924, with 20 fewer fatalities than through the same date
last year.
[to top of second column]
 |
"Under the leadership of Governor Blagojevich, Illinois saw a
historic reduction in the number of traffic fatalities last year,"
said IDOT Secretary Milton R. Sees. "But the tragic fact remains
that 47 percent of those fatalities were alcohol-related and thus
may have been preventable. IDOT is proud to support the efforts of
the Illinois State Police and local police in combating impaired
drivers. The message is simple: You Drink and Drive. You Lose."
"My heart goes out to all those who have lost loved ones due to
this senseless and utterly preventable crime," said Stephen Carr,
executive director of MADD Illinois. "We must do all we can to stop
others from experiencing what they did. Through efforts like the
'You Drink & Drive. You Lose' holiday crackdown, we will move closer
to eliminating drunk driving in Illinois."
Earlier this month, in advance of the holiday enforcement
activities, Blagojevich proclaimed December as Drunk and Drugged
Driving Prevention Month and called on all Illinois cities, towns
and villages to join the state in reminding the public about the
dangers posed by drunk and drugged drivers during the holidays. (Article)
State officials recommend the
following steps to keep drunk drivers off the roads and to ensure a
safe and festive holiday for everyone:
-
Plan a safe way
home before the festivities begin.
-
Before drinking,
please designate a sober driver and give that person your keys.
-
If you're impaired,
use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public
transportation to ensure you get home safely.
-
If you happen to
see a drunk driver on the road, call 911 or contact local law
enforcement.
-
And remember, if
you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired,
take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to
where they are going safely.
For more information about the Division of Traffic Safety's
impaired driving and safety campaigns, go to
http://www.dot.state.il.us/safety.html.
[Text from file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
 |
