Police stepping up patrols for impaired drivers over Fourth of July holiday
(Photo by Mark Ralston / AFP) (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The Illinois Department of Transportation, State Police and law enforcement agencies are teaming up to prevent alcohol- and drug-related crashes and fatalities through a ramped-up enforcement period that runs through July 8.
State Police and local law enforcement will step up efforts to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities through roadside safety checks, impaired driving patrols and seat-belt enforcement zones.
Acting State Police Director Brendan Kelly says troopers will focus on identifying the four major violations that lead to fatal crashes: speeding, driving under the influence, failing to wear a properly adjusted seat belt and distracted driving.
The heightened enforcement coincides with IDOT's efforts to drive down traffic injuries and fatalities through its Life or Death public safety campaign featuring true stories of Illinois residents killed in crashes.