Police to Step Up Patrols for St. Patrick's Day Week

Police will be stepping up enforcement this week because of the Saturday holiday.

According to the , will be increasing patrols to focus on detecting impaired driving this St. Patrick’s Day holiday from March 12 through March 20. 

According to data from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the midnight to 3 a.m. timeframe is the deadliest time on Illinois roads. Not coincidentally, the data also shows this time of day has the highest percentage of alcohol involvement and the lowest percentage of occupant restraint use.  

 The Crystal Lake Police Department recommends that drivers take the following precautions:

• 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.
• Wear your safety belt.  It is your best defense against an impaired driver. 

To encourage drivers with cellular phones to call, the Crystal Lake Police Department has partnered with the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM) in promoting their “Drunkbusters” program. AAIM gives $100 to tipsters whose calls leads to DUI arrests.

For more information on the “Drunkbusters” program, including tips on how to recognize a possibly intoxicated driver, visit the AAIM at www.aaim1.org or call the Crystal Lake Police Department at 815-356-3620.

For further traffic safety related information, visit www.nhtsa.gov or www.buckleupillinois.org.  

Grant funding for the program, which includes officer overtime for alcohol saturation patrol, is provided by the Illinois Department of Transportation.