ISP issues safety warning for Thanksgiving holiday travel | News

(KFVS) - Illinois State Police and local law enforcement agencies throughout the state are gearing up for the beginning of the holiday travel period.

Police say the cooperative effort is aimed at stepping up enforcement patrols as the holiday season begins to make the roads safe for all drivers.

Traditionally, the Thanksgiving holiday marks the beginning of the busy holiday driving period which continues through the New Year. Beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 21 through Sunday, Nov. 25, officials expect high traffic volumes on interstates and roads throughout the region, with Thanksgiving Day expected to be the busiest.  Illinois State Police are urging the traveling public to adhere to the rules of the road and avoid the "Fatal Four" traffic violations: Speeding, DUI, Seatbelts and Distracted Driving.

During this enforcement period, officers will patrol the interstates, conduct road side safety checks and participate in other traffic enforcement details to identify Fatal Four violators. Special emphasis will be placed on DUI enforcement, and holiday DUI patrols will be designated statewide. Police say statistics have shown that fatal crashes on the interstates increase during the Thanksgiving holiday period and a large number of these incidents are due to drunk driving.

“Although the number of crashes involving impaired drivers are on a downward trend, a single life lost to drunk driving is one life too many,” said ISP Director Hiram Grau. “Troopers and local police officers will saturate the roads and interstates with targeted patrols to enforce ISP’s 'Fatal Four' mission - with a special emphasis on impaired driving.”

According to ISP, the teenage driver is classified as the highest risk category for becoming involved in a driving fatality during the Thanksgiving holiday period. Over the last three years, teen and college aged drivers and passengers have been involved in 50 percent of all fatal crashes that have occurred the day before and Thanksgiving Day. Of the crashes that occurred on those days, teen and college aged drivers and passengers accounted for 31 percent of the deaths.

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