ISP DIST. 19, Carmi, Ill. - Captain Kelly Hodge, District 19 Commander, has announced a variety of patrols coming up in the area for the month of April.
The first is an Alcohol Countermeasure Enforcement (ACE) patrol to be held in White County. This ACE patrol allows the ISP to target an area with a saturation patrol that focuses on preventing, detecting, and taking enforcement action in response to violations associated with impaired driving and illegal transportation or consumption of alcohol and other drugs.
Across the country, an average of one alcohol-related traffic death occurs every 51 minutes. Alcohol and drug impairment remain significant factors in nearly 40 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois. Each year in Illinois, hundreds of lives are lost in alcohol-related crashes. Don’t risk losing your license, your car, and your freedom. If you drive impaired, law enforcement will arrest you.
The next is an Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrols (OREP) in Wayne and White counties during the month of April. OREP allows the ISP to target an area with saturation patrols that focus on traffic violations and related compliance with safety belt and child safety seat laws. Safety belt enforcement zones will also be set up to ensure the driver and passengers are buckled up. Illinois law requires all vehicle passengers (front and back) to be buckled up!
Safety belts are one of the most effective safety devices in vehicles today, estimated to save over 12,000 lives each year. Over half of vehicle occupants killed in a traffic crash were not properly buckled up. The objective of this program is to increase compliance of occupant restraint laws through education, child seat inspections, and enforcement. Greater awareness, acceptance, and use of occupant protection equipment will save many lives.
Next will be a Roadside Safety Check (RSC) in Saline County on Saturday, April 23, and in Wayne County on Saturday, April 30. ISP has zero tolerance for impaired driving in Illinois. Officers working this detail will be watchful for drivers who are operating vehicles in an unsafe manner, driving with a suspended or revoked driver’s license, transporting open alcoholic beverages, or driving under the influence.
Alcohol and drug impairment is a significant factor in over 40 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois. RSCs are designed to keep our roads safe by taking dangerous DUI offenders off the road.
