Police in Oak Park, Wilmette, and other towns throughout Illinois have reportedly begun cracking down on both impaired drivers and individuals who fail to wear a seat belt as part of a statewide holiday season safety campaign. The 2012 Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and Click It or Ticket programs were established in an effort reduce the allegedly disproportionate number of traffic fatalities caused by impaired driving and motorists who choose not to wear a safety belt. The programs were paid for by a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The two safety campaigns are administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation and slated to last until the New Year. As part of the programs, police officers will reportedly focus on motorists traveling on Illinois roadways between 9 pm and 6 am. Statistically, individuals are allegedly less likely to use a seat belt and more likely to operate an automobile while high or inebriated after 9 pm. In Illinois, 12 am to 3 am is reportedly the deadliest time to be traveling in a vehicle.
State and local police urge motorists to designate a driver, use public transportation, or call a cab in lieu of driving while intoxicated. Sober drivers are also encouraged to report suspected drunken drivers to local law enforcement. In addition, both drivers and passengers are reminded to use a safety belt whenever they ride in a motor vehicle.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car accidents are the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of five and 34. The use of safety belts reportedly reduces a motorist or passenger’s risk of death or serious injury by approximately 50 percent. In Illinois, everyone traveling in a passenger vehicle is required to wear a safety belt.
Sadly, about 12,000 people were killed in alcohol-related automobile crashes across the nation in 2008. Nearly 48,000 drivers were also arrested and charged with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the same year. In Illinois, 36 percent of traffic fatalities in 2008 reportedly involved alcohol.
Someone who was hurt in a collision with an impaired driver may suffer tragic injuries or untimely death. If you or a family member was injured by a drunken or drugged motorist, you may be entitled to recover monetary damages for your medical expenses, suffering and pain, lost wages and benefits, any resulting disability, and more. A qualified car accident attorney can explain your right to recovery in more detail.
If you were injured in a vehicle crash that was caused by an intoxicated driver, you should give the lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. a call at (312) 475-9596 today. Our dedicated Chicago area car accident attorneys are available 24 hours per day, seven days per week to answer your questions and help you file your personal injury or wrongful death case. Our knowledgeable lawyers have years of experience advocating on behalf of clients who were hurt by a drunken or drugged motorist. To speak with a hardworking personal injury attorney today, contact Abels & Annes, P.C. through our website.
More Blogs:
Former Illinois Football Player Charged With Intoxication Manslaughter Following Teammate’s Death, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, December 19, 2012
Off Duty Chicago Police Officer Charged in Connection With Logan Square Bicycle Accident, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, December 17, 2012
Additional Resources:
Police to crack down on drunk driving, seat belt use, by Devin Rose, oakpark.com
Holiday ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ Crackdown Begins, by Jordan Graham, Wilmette-Kenilworth Patch