Roadside  safety  checks will be conducted  by  the  Illinois  State  Police  during  the month of December, according  to  Captain  Scott  Compton,  Commander,  Illinois State Police, District  18  in  Litchfield.    Alcohol is a significant factor in over 40 percent of fatal crashes in Illinois.  Safety checks are designed to keep our roads safe by taking dangerous DUI offenders off the road.  Even though the  primary  goal  of safety checks is to remove alcohol-impaired drivers, when  other  violations  are  observed  such as driving with a suspended or revoked  license,  operating  a  vehicle  without  a  valid registration or insurance, or safety belt violations, enforcement action will be taken.

The  roadside safety checks are funded through a grant provided by  the United States Department of Transportation/National Highway Traffic Safety  Administration  and  administered  by  the  Illinois  Department of Transportation,  Division  of  Traffic  Safety.   District 18 includes the counties of Calhoun, Jersey, Greene, Macoupin and Montgomery.