Community Corner

CL Police: Buckle Up and Don't Drive Drunk!

Crystal Lake Police Department begins a two-week crackdown on drunken drivers and seat belt violators leading up to the July 4th holiday.

 

The Crystal Lake Police Department announced it will intensify enforcement efforts to combat drunk drivers and drivers who fail to strap on their seat belts.

Police will focus on late-night hours as statistics show a "disapproportionate number of traffic deaths occur late at night and involve a drunk driver and/ or unbuckled motorist," Police Staff Sgt. Dan Hulata said in a press release issued Thursday.

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The city's crackdown is part of a statewide Independence Day "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" and "Click It or Ticket" enforcement campaign, Hulata said.

"The Crystal Lake Police Department will join the Illinois State Police and over 200 local police and sheriff's departments in a statewide enforcement effort that begins June 22 and runs through July 4th," Hulata said in the release.

Find out what's happening in Crystal Lake-Carywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

To avoid a potential car crash or arrest, Crystal Lake Police recommend people celebrating the summer season designate a sober driver if they plan on drinking. Friends should also not let friends or family members drive drunk.

Other tips include:

  • Plan ahead, designate a sober driver and give that person your car keys.
  • If you consume too much alcohol, call a taxi, use mass transit or call a sober friend or family member to drive you home safely.
  • Promptly report drunk drivers you see on the roadways to law enforcement by pulling over and dialing 911.
  • Make sure everyone in your vehicle wears his/ her seat belt. It is your best defense against a drunk driver.

The Independence Day law enforcement crackdown is funded by federal traffic safety funds through the Illinois Department of Transportation's Division of Traffic Safety. The effort runs concurrently with a media campaign that reminds motorists, "Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over" and "Click or Ticket."


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