If you drive on Interstate 80, consider yourself warned: Police plan to focus heavy traffic enforcement on Interstate 80 all the way across Illinois the evening of Monday, May 23, 2016.
It’s part of a 20-state initiative called “Click It or Ticket, Border to Border Operation,” designed to reduce traffic fatalities by focusing on the four violations that are most likely to lead to a fatal crash. They are speeding, DUI, distracted driving, and seat belt usage.
“Seat belts save lives. The simple act of wearing a seat belt can reduce your chances of being injured or killed in a serious traffic crash. Seat belt usage applies to every passenger in a vehicle, not just the driver,” said a statement from Illinois State Police.
The Illinois enforcement effort spans 163 miles of I-80.
“At 94 percent, Illinois has one of the highest state seat belt usage rates, but there are still individuals who do not wear seat belts,” said a statement from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “The national seat belt use rate has steadily increased to 88.5 percent in 2014, but data from NHTSA show that almost half of passenger vehicle occupants (49 percent) who were killed in 2014 were unrestrained,” the statement said.
State, county and city law enforcement will participate in the May 23 special enforcement, and motorists can expect extra enforcement on highways across the country starting May 23 and continuing through the Memorial Day weekend.
Last year, Illinois State Police issued more than 3,300 tickets for speeding on Illinois highways over the Memorial Day weekend; they also made more than 200 DUI arrests, issued more than 160 citations for distracted driving, and issued more than 960 tickets for seat belt violations.
