Many residents use the Labor Day holiday weekend to celebrate one last time before saying goodbye to summer. This is also a time when we see an increased number of drunk driving accidents in Illinois. To help combat the problem and to keep motorists safe, the Illinois Department of Transportation and law enforcement agencies across the state will be on the hunt for intoxicated drivers. To help get the word out about the dangers and the potential consequences of drunk driving, law enforcement conducted a “wet lab” demonstration. The demonstration is all a part of the state’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign for the upcoming holiday. Officers will be on the lookout for all impaired drivers from now through the first week of September.
“The demonstration today illustrates how devastating alcohol impairment is on a person’s judgment, control and ability to operate a vehicle,” said Acting Transportation Secretary Ann Schneider.Our Chicago car accident attorneys understand that most residents will be using the long Labor Day weekend to get out of the house and to have some fun with friends and family. Unfortunately, what’s not factored into weekend plans are the dangers motorists who are expected to be on our roadways. To help reduce these dangers, police across the state will be enforcing traffic laws and busting motorists who fail to consider the safety of others.
Illinois State Police (ISP) Director Hiram Grau says that he just wants everyone to make it to where they’re heading safely this weekend. He warns motorists that there will be a number of areas that will be targeting speeders, distracted drivers, motorists not wearing a seat belt and those who are driving drunk. Officers are targeting these four violations because ISP says that they are the four riskiest driving behaviors. If you’re busted for violating any of these laws, you could face a number of fines and potentially wind up in jail.
During a wet lab demonstration, a person is asked to consume an amount of alcohol that would make them legal drunk. Those watching the demonstration can get a feel for exactly how alcohol affects a person’s ability to drive and their judgment. They get to see how the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) work and how an arrest for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) goes down.
They also get to see what an ignition-interlock device is and how it works. Illinois was one of the first states in the country to require that first-time DUI offenders install an interlock device on their vehicle. These systems require that a driver pass a breath-alcohol test before the vehicle can be turned on. The device also requests random tests throughout a drive to ensure that it’s the driver who is interacting with the system.
In the two and a half years since the state started installing these in the vehicles of first time offenders, the number of participants has jumped from just 3,000 to approximately 12,000 annually.
Our Chicago personal injury attorneys would like to ask everyone to be safe over the holiday weekend and to avoid drinking and driving at all costs. If you spot a driver that you believe to be intoxicated, you’re urged to contact local authorities. Your phone call can help to save someone’s life.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident with a drunk driver, the personal injury attorneys and wrongful death lawyers at Abels & Annes offer free and confidential appointments to discuss your rights. Call (866) 99-ABELS. There is no fee unless you win.
More Blog Entries:
Chicago injury lawyer settles DUI accident lawsuit for $100,000 policy limits, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, July 24, 2011
Pair of fatal auto accidents in the Chicago area highlights dangers of drunk driving, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, July 14, 2011