Illinois State Police Troop 9 Commander, Captain Nathan Douglas announces the State Police will conduct Nighttime Enforcement (NITE) patrols in Fayette, Marion, Richland, and Wayne counties during August and Alcohol Countermeasure Enforcement (ACE) patrols in Clay, Edwards, Effingham, Lawrence, Marion, and White counties during September. NITE patrols allow the ISP to focus on preventing, detecting, and taking enforcement action in response to impaired driving and occupant restraint violations especially between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 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. Alcohol and drug impairment are estimated to be a factor in more than 47 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois. Over half of all fatal crashes in Illinois occur at night.
ACE patrols allow the ISP 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. The ISP has zero tolerance for impaired driving in Illinois. There is one alcohol-related traffic fatality every 39 minutes in the United States.
Both projects are funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation.