Drunk Driving, Seat Belt Crackdown Underway in Buffalo Grove

Today (Aug. 17) marks the start of the 's 2012 Labor Day “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over/Click It or Ticket” crackdown.

The intensified enforcement effort will target impaired drivers and seat belt law violators. The program, which will run through Labor Day, will concentrate on nighttime hours, according to a press release from the police department.

According to data from the Illinois Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the midnight to 3 a.m. timeframe is the deadliest time on Illinois roadways. The data also shows this time range has the highest percentage of alcohol involvement and the lowest seat belt usage rate, police said.

“The numbers do not lie. We will be stepping up our late-night enforcement efforts, making sure impaired drivers are off the road and motorists are buckled up,” said Sgt. Mike Rodriguez, head of the Buffalo Grove Police Department’s traffic unit.

Rodriguez recommends designating a sober driver and not letting friends and family member drive impaired as just two of several simple steps to avoid a tragic crash or an arrest for impaired driving.  

Other tips include:

• Plan ahead. Designate a sober driver before going out and give that person your keys.
• If you are impaired, call a taxi, use mass transit or call a sober friend or family member to get you home safely.
• Promptly report impaired drivers you see on the roadways to law enforcement by calling 911.
• Wear your seat belt and make sure all passengers are buckled up. It is your best defense against an impaired driver. 

The law enforcement crackdown runs concurrently with a media campaign that will remind motorists, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket.”