Illinois State Police announce results of special patrols in area

Illinois State Police District 22 has announced statistics from special details which were conducted during February in three area counties.

Results from the details were announced by Lt. Michael Alvey, who is the  commander of the district.

Roadside safety checks were conducted from late night Feb. 24 to the early morning hours of Feb. 25  in Alexander County.

Occupant restraint enforcement patrols were conducted during February in Johnson County.

Nighttime enforcement patrols were conducted during February in Pulaski County.

Roadside Safety Checks

The following violations were reported following the roadside safety checks in Alexander County which were conducted by District 22 officers:

Driving under the influence, DUI, citations, one. Other alcohol/drug citations, seven.

Occupant restraint offenses, 23. Driver's license  offenses, five.

Total citations/arrests, 39. Total written warnings, four.

The state police noted that alcohol and drug impairment is a factor in more than 30 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois.

In the United States, nearly 10,000 people die each year due to alcohol-impaired driving.

"Roadside safety checks are designed to keep our roads safe by taking dangerous DUI offenders off the road," Alvey stated.

Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrols

Alvey said that occupant restraint enforcement details provide extra patrol coverage for the Illinois State Police "so officers could focus on saving lives by making sure all vehicle occupants were buckled up."

The following violations were reported in Johnson County:

Safety belt citations, 22. Total citations, 28. Total written warnings, 16.

"Most motorists know safety belts save lives, but some ignore their safety and that of their families by neglecting to use safety belts and child restraint devices," Alvey stated.

"These patrols reinforce the occupant protection message by focusing on those who ignore the law. Lives can be saved if people simply 'buckle up'."

Nighttime Enforcement Patrols

The nighttime enforcement patrols allowed the state police to focus on preventing, detecting and taking enforcement action in response to impaired driving and occupant restraint violations between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The following violations were reported in Pulaski County:

Other alcohol/drug citations, one. Registration offenses, one.

Driver's license offenses, three. Insurance violations, one.

Total citations/arrests, 10. Total written warnings, 30.

Over half of all fatal crashes in Illinois occur at night, the state police noted. 

Alvey stated that the nighttime enforcement patrols allow "officers to work even harder at removing dangerous impaired drivers from the road and making sure everyone is buckled up."

The special details are funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation.