Special patrols conducted

Illinois State Police District 22 conducted special alcohol countermeasure and traffic enforcement patrols during November in Union County.

Lt. Michael Alvey, the interim commander of District 22, announced results tallied during the patrols.

Alvey said that the alcohol countermeasure enforcement patrols focused on preventing, detecting and taking enforcement action in response to violations associated with impaired driving and illegal transportation or consumption of alcohol or drugs.

Statistics reported from the patrols included two citations in the “other alcohol/drug” category, three occupant restraint offenses, two registration offenses, three driver’s license offenses, a total of 15 citations and arrests and 25 total written warnings.

Alvey noted in a news release that “alcohol and drug impairment is a factor in more than 30 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois.

“There is one alcohol-related traffic fatality every 53 minutes in the United States.”

He said that alcohol countermeasure enforcement patrols “allow officers to work even harder at removing dangerous DUI offenders from the road.”

The special traffic enforcement patrols focused on increased enforcement of impaired driving, occupant restraint, speeding and distracted driving violations.

The patrols resulted in 29 citations and warnings for speeding, 24 total citations and 12 total written warnings.

Alvey advised motorists that “driving the posted speed limit, sober, not distracted, and buckled up, will save your life and the lives of many others.”