SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Police and sheriff’s departments across Illinois are stepping up patrols to try to reduce alcohol- and drug-related crashes this holiday season.
The Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois State Police say the stepped up enforcement started this week and will continue through Jan. 2. It will be in effect at all hours, with heightened efforts in the evening.
The efforts will include DUI and distracted driving patrols as well as roadside safety checks and seatbelt enforcement zones.
Illinois is experiencing its second straight year of more than 1,000 motor vehicle deaths. Last year 1,078 people died in vehicle crashes on Illinois roads.
Illinois State Police Director Leo P. Schmitz is urging anyone who sees an unsafe driver to call 911 and report them.