Illinois State Police conducting special patrols in region

Illinois State Police District 22 is conducting special traffic enforcement patrols in the region during November.

Counties where the patrols are being conducted include Alexander, Johnson, Pulaski and Union.

The patrols were announced by Lt. Michael Alvey, who is the interim commander of the district.

Alcohol countermeasure enforcement patrols are being conducted in Alexander County.

Alvey said the patrols allow the Illinois State Police “to focus on preventing, detecting and taking enforcement action in response to violations associated with impaired driving and illegal transportation or consumption of alcohol or drugs.”

He noted that the state police have “zero tolerance for impaired driving in Illinois.”

Alvey said that officers who are working the detail will be watchful for drivers who are operating vehicles in an unsafe manner, driving with a suspended or revoked driver’s license or transporting open alcoholic beverages.

Most importantly, he said, state police will be watching for violations which include:

Driving under the influence, safety belt and child restraint use, speeding, distracted driving and all Illinois Vehicle Code and Criminal Violations.

“Alcohol and drug impairment is a factor in more than 30 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois,” Alvey stated. “There is one alcohol-related traffic fatality every 53 minutes in the United States.”

 He said that the alcohol countermeasure program allows officers to work even harder at removing dangerous DUI offenders from the road.

District 22 officers also are conducting occupant restraint enforcement patrols in Alexander County during November.

The patrols allow state police to focus on safety belt and child safety seat laws. Illinois law requires all vehicle passengers (in the front and back) to be buckled up.

Safety belts are still one of the most effective safety devices in vehicles, estimated to save nearly 14,000 lives each year, Alvey stated.

Half of vehicle occupants killed in a traffic crash were not properly buckled up. 

“The objective of this program is to increase occupant restraint compliance through education, child seat inspections and enforcement,” Alvey stated.

Special traffic enforcement patrols are being conducted in Johnson and Union counties.

Alvey said the patrols will allow the state police to focus on “fatal four violations which contribute the greatest to traffic crashes and fatalities.”

The “fatal four” violations include driving under the influence, safety belt and child restraint use, speeding and distracted driving.

Alvey said the state police “will increase our daytime and nighttime patrols to ensure the safety of vehicle travelers through enforcement of all traffic safety laws.”

He noted that impaired driving is a factor in more than 30 percent of fatal crashes.

Speeding is a factor in nearly 35 percent of fatal crashes. Nearly 50 percent of vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes were known to not be buckled up.

State police are conducting nighttime enforcement patrols in Pulaski County during November.

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

“The number of unrestrained drivers killed in traffic crashes is significantly higher at nighttime and combined with impaired driving means even more traffic deaths during these critical hours,” Alvey stated.

He stated that officers will strictly enforce violations which include:

Driving under the influence, safety belt and child restraint use, speeding, distracted driving and all Illinois Vehicle Code and Criminal Violations.

State police note that alcohol and drug impairment is a factor in more than 30 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois. Over half of all fatal crashes in Illinois occur at night. 

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

All of the special patrols are funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation.