Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog
Drunk drivers are the target of a new campaign headed by a number of local police departments and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). The campaign, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” will include a two-week enforcement effort consisting of roughly 350 sheriff’s offices and police departments across the state. The enforcement efforts will continue through the first week of September in an attempt to bust drunk drivers before they cause a potentially fatal car accident in Illinois.”Impaired driving is a serious crime plaguing our society, and affecting the lives of innocent, law abiding motorists on a regular basis,” said Transportation Secretary Ann Schneider.
Our Chicago drunk driving accident attorneys understand how dangerous these drivers are and how important it is to set up tough efforts to stop them. Through this new campaign, enforcement agencies throughout the state are prepared to take on these careless and reckless drivers.
Officials are also looking to crackdown on drivers that are not wearing a seat belt.
Through the enforcement period, the state of Illinois will conduct more than 200 roadside safe driving checkpoints. There will be hundreds of seat belt and intoxicated driving saturation patrols.
According to IDOT, both impaired driving and drivers not wearing a seat belt are a big problem that officials witness mainly during the evening hours. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that drivers are at the most risk for a car accident during 12:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. in the state of Illinois. This time period also reports the lowest seat belt usage and the highest percentage of drunk drivers.
“Violating these laws can result in fines and possible jail time and will be treated as criminal acts by the police and court system,” said ISP Director Hiram Grau.
Illinois accident statistics conclude that there are more than 300 fatalities each year that result from traffic accidents that involve an impaired driver. Hundreds more are injured in the incidents.
During the 2010 Labor Day weekend, which is calculated from 6:00 p.m. from the Friday before the holiday to 11:59 p.m. of Labor Day, more than 10 people were killed in traffic accidents. One of these deaths involved an intoxicated driver. Nearly 800 people were injured on our roadways during the 2010 holiday weekend. There have been roughly 70 deaths from traffic accidents from 2006 to 2010 on holiday weekends. Nearly 40 percent of the fatalities were caused by car accidents that involved an impaired driver.
Local police ask that you help with the efforts by doing the following if you suspect that a driver is drunk:
-Take note of the make, model and color of the vehicle that the alleged intoxicated driver is operating.
-Call local authorities with the information. Include the location of the vehicle and the direction it’s traveling. If possible, give them the license plate number but don’t get too close to the vehicle to get it. If you can see the driver, provide officials with that information, too.
-Back off. Don’t try to stop the driver. Doing so can put you and your vehicle’s occupants in a compromising situation. Leave the rest of the job in the hands of officers.
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:
Two Children Injured in a Three-Car Accident in Illinois, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, August 16, 2011
Proposed Motor Vehicle and Highway Safety Legislation Aims to Reduce Car Accidents in Chicago and Elsewhere, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, August 4, 2011