 As of July 5, provisional crash data reported 479 fatalities have
taken place on Illinois roadways this year, as compared with 418
during the same time frame last year.
"We want all Illinois motorists to take a role in our fight
against impaired and distracted driving, and strongly welcome the
efforts of all concerned residents to help create awareness of the
need to lower traffic-related fatalities," Schneider said. "This
inventive campaign is about using the resources at hand to help
inform the public, save lives and prevent crashes from occurring, as
much as possible. Simply stated, our goal is to drive zero
fatalities to reality."
IDOT's statewide messaging boards are primarily reserved for
emergencies such as Amber Alerts or traffic incident management
alerts relating to crashes, detours, lane closures, critical road
construction or maintenance operation information. Emergency
messages will take precedence over the traffic information campaign,
along with information regarding travel times, special events,
inclement weather alerts and traffic impacts. Traffic safety
campaign messages are to be posted during times when such emergency
alerts are not required.
IDOT will post the daily traffic fatality count on the message
boards, followed by behavioral reminders such as: "Don't Drink &
Drive," "Don't Text & Drive," "Save a Life, Buckle Up," "Stay off
the Phone in Work Zones," and "Motorcyclists, Gear Up, Drive Safe."
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The agency will continue tracking daily roadway fatalities to upload
onto the IDOT home page at
www.dot.il.gov and to support social media campaigns.
IDOT encourages all motorists to drive defensively, buckle up,
turn off cellphones, slow down in work zones, wear proper gear while
riding a motorcycle, and designate a sober driver if they have
consumed alcohol.
The agency has also created and featured a public service
announcement on YouTube, showing the real-life aftermath of crashes.
The announcement can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=QXCWt7rZRzc.
For more information on current traffic safety campaigns, IDOT
crash data, or to access the agency's Twitter or Facebook pages,
visit
http://www.trafficsafety.illinois.gov/.
[Text from
Illinois
Department of Transportation file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information] |
