Drunken Driving Campaign Underway in Grayslake

The below information came from a Grayslake Police Department press release. 

The Grayslake Police Department will focus on pulling over drunken drivers during its annual Illinois Labor Day “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” crackdown, according to a Grayslake Police Department press release. 

The statewide crackdown will include high-visibility alcohol and belt enforcement throughout Grayslake and will run from Aug. 16 through Sept. 2. 

The midnight to 3 a.m. timeframe is the deadliest time on Illinois roads, according to data  from the Illinois Division of Transportation (IDOT) and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). 

Not coincidentally, the data also shows this time of day has the highest percentage of alcohol involvement and the lowest occupant restraint use.

According to data from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), the late night hours during the summer months in Illinois is the deadliest time for alcohol-involved motor vehicle crashes. 

Nationally in 2010, 9,878 people were killed in U.S. highway crashes involving a driver with an illegal BAC of 0.08 or higher, according to the NHTSA statistics.

The Grayslake Police Department wants to remind everyone that getting behind the wheel drunk is a terrible idea. 

Unfortunately, not only does drinking impair your ability to operate a vehicle safely, it also impairs your judgment and good sense about whether you can or should drive. If you have any doubt about your sobriety, do not get behind the wheel. If you do chose to drive impaired, you will be arrested.

The Grayslake Police Department recommends designating a sober driver and not letting friends and family drive impaired as just two of several simple steps to avoid a tragic crash or an arrest for impaired driving. Other important tips include.

• Plan ahead. Designate your sober driver before the party begins and give that person your car keys;

• If you don’t have a designated driver, ask a sober friend for a ride home; call a cab, sober friend or family member to pick you up; or just stay where you are and sleep it off until you are sober;

• Wear your seat belt and make sure all passengers are buckled up. It is your best defense against an impaired driver.

• Promptly report impaired drivers you see on the roadways to law enforcement;

The Grayslake Police Department encourages motorists to wear their seatbelt at all times. Wearing of a seatbelt can help reduce the chances of injury or fatality in the event of a crash. As a reminder, seatbelt use in Illinois is mandatory and a primary offense, meaning an Officer can stop a motorist for this violation alone. The law enforcement crackdown runs concurrently with a media campaign that will remind motorists, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket”.