The Illinois Department of Transportation along with the Illinois State Police are asking motorists to remember to drive sober over the extended holiday weekend. Law enforcement throughout the state are stepping up enforcement to keep impaired drivers off the roads.  The enforcement campaign runs through September 7th. According to IDOT crash data, there were 938 fatal crashes in 2019, with 258 or 27.2% of which involved at least one driver who tested positive for alcohol.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over the last ten years, the presence of marijuana has nearly doubled in drivers killed in crashes. 

IDOT would remind drivers that if you have used an impairing substance whether it be alcohol, marijuana, or another substance to not drive. If you think a driver may be impaired don’t get into the vehicle. IDOT encourages Illinoisans to plan for a sober ride whether that’s a friend, a public ride service, or your ride-sharing app. If you know someone is going to drive while they are impaired, take their keys and arrange for them to get home safely. If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. 

Paul Wappel says that if you are going to drink, you should find an alternate way to get home.

Wappel says to expect extra law enforcement out over the holiday weekend.

The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign is funded by the NHTSA and administered by IDOT. The overall arching campaign is called “Life or Death Illinois” and it highlights the responsibility of each driver to decrease the number of lives lost each year.

Visit lifeordeathillinois.com for more information.