The Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police, and law enforcement agencies across the state are urging motorists to drive sober this Labor Day weekend as part of the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.
“Driving impaired is not a game,” said Stephane B. Seck-Birhame, bureau chief of Safety Programs and Engineering at IDOT. “You don’t get a second chance to make it right, so always make sure that anytime you’re behind the wheel, you’re sober, buckled up, and following all traffic laws. It might save your life or someone else’s.”
The enforcement campaign runs through Labor Day weekend and targets drivers under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, or other impairing substances.
According to IDOT, last year’s Labor Day weekend — from 6 p.m. Friday, August 30th through midnight Monday, September 2nd — saw 11 fatal crashes resulting in 11 deaths. Two of those crashes were alcohol-related.
“We ask that if you are celebrating the contributions of our workforces this Labor Day, you do so smartly,” said ISP Division of Patrol Col. Chris Owen. “The decision to drive takes only a moment, but the consequences can last a lifetime.”
Authorities remind the public:
If you plan to consume alcohol or cannabis, designate a sober driver, call a rideshare, taxi, or use public transit.
Never get in a vehicle with an impaired driver. Take their keys and help them find a safe ride.
If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement.
The campaign also emphasizes seat belt enforcement, speed compliance, and other traffic laws through the “Click It or Ticket” and “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” initiatives, funded with federal support through IDOT’s It’s Not a Game multimedia safety campaign.
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