Community Corner
Oak Lawn Police Step Up Thanksgiving DUI, Seat Belt Patrols
DUI and seat belt enforcement patrols will be highly visible in Oak Lawn throughout the month of November.
OAK LAWN, IL – The AAA projects that 54.6 million Americans will hit the road to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. Illinois law enforcement will be working around the clock to make sure holiday travelers are buckled up and driving safely.
The Oak Lawn Police Department is joining the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police and nearly 200 local police and sheriff’s departments to remind motorists to Click It of Ticket and Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
Oak Lawn police and law enforcement throughout Illinois are getting ready for a busy Thanksgiving week. Police will be stepping up patrols through Nov. 28 to make certain that travelers are buckled up and driving sober. This past Memorial Day weekend, Oak Lawn police wrote an astounding 282 tickets for seat belt violations.
Find out what's happening in Oak Lawnfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Drivers and passengers can expect a ticket from Oak Lawn PD if they are spotted not wearing a seat belt or with an unbuckled child in their vehicle. Motorists are on notice that driving after drinking or using drugs or other impairing substances will also not be tolerated. Stepped-up patrols including seat belt enforcement zones and roadside safety checks will be seen throughout Oak Lawn and the state.
According to IDOT, the statewide seat-belt usage rate is 93 percent, yet unbuckled occupants make up a disproportionately large number of fatalities, representing more than 50 percent of people killed in motor vehicle crashes.
Find out what's happening in Oak Lawnfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“Wearing your seat belt is second nature for most,” said Sgt. Acke. “We’re looking for the 7 percent of Illinois motorists who skip this lifesaving step.”
You know the drill: plan for a sober ride home, use ride-share or call a taxi, take mass transit or call someone to get you home safely. Make sure everyone in your vehicle wears their seat belt. It is the best defense against an impaired driver.
The Thanksgiving enforcement effort is made possible by federal traffic safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation
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