IDOT, Illinois police ramp up drunk driving and seat belt campaigns
as 'Drive to Survive' continues
Police
focus on deadly nighttime hours for increased enforcement efforts
Send a link to a friend
[December 27, 2012]
CHICAGO -- The Illinois
Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police and nearly 300
law enforcement agencies across the state are teaming up to continue
the lifesaving, end-of-year push of 2012 called "Drive to Survive."
In 2010 and 2011, respectively, 927 and 918 people died in motor
vehicle crashes in Illinois. Throughout 2012, fatalities have
consistently been higher compared with last year, and as of Dec. 20,
provisional totals showed that 937 people had lost their lives in
motor vehicle crashes, 53 higher than at the same time last year.
|
The Drive to Survive campaign features the familiar "Drive Sober or
Get Pulled Over" and "Click It or Ticket" messages and has at its
center, stepped-up DUI and seat belt law enforcement, focusing
patrols on deadly nighttime hours. This more visible enforcement
will become even stronger during the final two weeks of the year.
Motorists, particularly those traveling during nighttime hours, will
see hundreds of roadside safety checks, seat belt enforcement zones
and enforcement patrols looking for drunk drivers and unbuckled
motorists. This increase in enforcement comes at a time of year
when data shows late-night alcohol involvement is higher and seat
belt use lower than at other times throughout the year. Data from
IDOT and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows
late-night hours are when the highest percentage of drivers involved
in fatal crashes test positive for alcohol and the lowest percentage
of vehicle occupant fatalities use seat belts.
"December late-night crash data tells us there are more drinking
drivers on our roads during late-night hours," said Illinois
Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider. "That's why IDOT provides
funding for the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement
throughout the state to step up DUI and seat belt law enforcement
during the holidays. We want everyone to enjoy their holidays, but
we also want our roadways to be safe. So remember this holiday
season, 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over' and 'Click It or Ticket.'"
Crash data for the past five years shows that, on average, 77
percent of drivers involved in motor vehicle crash fatalities
between midnight and 3 a.m. tested positive for alcohol. The picture
is completely different during the higher-traffic, daytime hours,
when 21 percent of drivers involved in fatalities test positive for
alcohol.
In December, the late-night alcohol numbers are typically worse,
with 83 percent of drivers involved in motor vehicle crash
fatalities testing positive for alcohol.
[to top of second column] |
Alcohol involvement of Illinois
drivers involved in fatal crashes by time of day
(2007-2011)
Time
of day
|
Drivers tested |
Drivers with positive BAC |
Percent with positive BAC |
Midnight-2:59
a.m. |
621 |
477 |
77% |
3-5:59 a.m. |
419 |
266 |
63% |
6-8:59 a.m. |
413 |
70 |
17% |
9-11:59 a.m. |
432 |
44 |
10% |
Noon-2:59 a.m. |
557 |
61 |
11% |
3-5:59 p.m. |
655 |
145 |
22% |
6-8:59 p.m. |
579 |
230 |
40% |
9-11:59 p.m. |
614 |
319 |
52% |
Alcohol involvement of Illinois
drivers involved in fatal crashes by time of day(December,
2007-2011)
Time
of day
|
Drivers tested
|
Drivers with
positive BAC |
Percent
with positive BAC |
Midnight-2:59
a.m. |
52 |
43 |
83% |
3-5:59 a.m. |
35 |
24 |
69% |
6-8:59 a.m. |
39 |
5 |
13% |
9-11:59 a.m. |
48 |
5 |
10% |
Noon-2:59 a.m. |
51 |
5 |
10% |
3-5:59 p.m. |
57 |
8 |
14% |
6-8:59 p.m. |
33 |
10 |
30% |
9-11:59 p.m. |
45 |
21 |
47% |
The Illinois "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" and "Click It or
Ticket" programs are funded with federal safety funds provided
through NHTSA. The programs are administered by IDOT and supported
by the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement agencies
across Illinois.
For more information about these and other traffic safety
programs, go to
http://trafficsafety.illinois.gov/.
[Text from
Illinois Department of
Transportation file received from the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
|