Oak Lawn Police Plan New Year's Eve DUI And Seat Belt Crackdown

OAK LAWN, IL — With the holidays rapidly approaching, Oak Lawn police will be watching traffic for signs of impaired drivers who may have imbibed a little too much at a holiday party. The Oak Lawn Police Department will be running special patrols through Jan. 2, as will police in other nearby communities.

Oak Lawn police officers will be on the lookout for drunk drivers and seat belt violators. An increase in drivers charged with driving under the influence are already showing up in bond court. So don’t mess up your holidays by getting a DUI or a hefty ticket because your kids aren’t buckled in their seat belts.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 839 people lost their lives in traffic crashes involving a drunk driver last December. Throughout the 2018 Christmas and New Year’s holidays alone, there were 285 drunk-driving related fatalities – more than any other time that year.

You know the drill: make a plan for getting home if you’re going to a party where you’ll be drinking. Be a good host and don’t let your guests drive home buzzed. If you see an impaired driver on the road, pull to the side and call 911. Designate a sober driver. Take ride-share or a cab home, and don’t forget to trip your driver. And, if your friends or family gently try to take your keys away before leaving a gathering, let them.

The Illinois “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign is administered and funded by the
Illinois Department of Transportation with federal highway safety funds managed by the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Put the phone down and always buckle up.