Will County Sheriff's Office Cracking Down on Drunk Drivers

With Labor Day fast approaching, the Will County Sheriff’s Office is ramping up its efforts to crackdown on drunk drivers.

As part of the Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, law enforcement nationwide and around Illinois will show zero tolerance for drunk driving. Increased state and national messaging about the dangers of driving impaired by alcohol, coupled with roadside safety checks and increased officers on the road, aim to drastically reduce the toll of impaired driving. In addition, seat belt law violations will receive a ticket.

Sign up for the Patch newsletter and never miss a moment

In 2013, there were 10,076 people killed in drunk driving crashes in the United States, according to a release from the Will County Sheriff’s Office, and 38 percent of crash fatalities on Labor Day weekend that year involved drunk drivers.

“Too many people think their actions don’t affect anybody else,” sheriff’s office Sgt. Vince Gambino said. “They know it’s illegal. They know it’s wrong. But they do it anyway - they make decisions as if those statistics just can’t happen to them. “

A roadside safety check will take place from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 5 at Caton Farm Road and Rt. 30 in Joliet. Deputies will be checking motorists for IL law compliance on seatbelts, equipment, and driver’s licenses.

The effort is going on now and continues through Sept. 7.