Drive Merry, Bright And Sober This Holiday Season: Buffalo Grove PD

BUFFALO GROVE, IL — While it might be the most wonderful time of the year, motorists in Buffalo Grove will notice more police cars on local roads this holiday season. Buffalo Grove police are partnering up with the Illinois Department of Transportation to encourage drivers to be sober when they get behind the wheel, with a holiday traffic enforcement campaign kicking off Friday.

Through Jan. 2, 2024, the "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" and "Drive High. Get a DUI" campaigns will be in full effect across the state.

"If you're celebrating with festive drinks or other impairing substances, make a plan for a safe ride home before you leave for the party," Buffalo Grove Lieutenant Tara Anderson said in a news release. "Driving impaired is simply unacceptable. That's why we make zero exceptions and arrest all impaired drivers. There are no excuses."

In 2021, a total of 13,384 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System. The agency said that on average, more than 10,000 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes each year from 2017 to 2021, with one person killed in a drunk-driving crash approximately every 45 minutes.

The BGPD recommends these tips to ensure a safe holiday season:

• Designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride-sharing service.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, pull over and dial 911 to report the incident.
• Have a friend who is about to drive impaired? Take their keys and make arrangements to get them home safely. They’ll thank you later.
• Remember to buckle up!

The holiday enforcement campaign is administered by IDOT with federal highway safety funds managed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.