Patrols to take precautions with holiday travel
With the holidays in full swing, road safety experts are encouraging drivers to drive safer.
Michelle Anderson is a spokesperson with the National Road Safety Foundation and raises concern about recent statistics and how they trend upward towards the holiday season. “We average about 6,400 traffic deaths nationwide,” Anderson said. “On average on Christmas Day alone, there have been reported approximately 335 people who have been killed over the years.” Anderson cites an increase in recent data. “At the first half of 2023, Illinois had 599 deaths on your roads, and that is very alarming,” Anderson said
In the Quad Cities, Iowa State Patrol Officers will be on the roads more than usual. Lt. Brian Votroubek is with Iowa State Patrol. “With the increased traffic in the holiday season, there’s a tendency have more crashes,” Votroubek said. “That’s why it’s important that you plan ahead as far as if you’re going to be drinking. But also not only that, but wearing your seatbelt, watching your speed, watching your following distance. All of those things prevent crashes.”
Illinois State Police will enforce Nighttime Enforcement (NITE) patrols and Alcohol Countermeasure Enforcement (ACE) patrols the entire month of December. Those patrols will focus on preventing, detecting and taking enforcement action in response to impaired driving from the evening to early morning hours. Whiteside County’s Sheriff will also be implementing extra precautions. “Our enforcement will totally be stopping cars for traffic violations,” John Booker, Whiteside County’s Sheriff, said. “Whether you have a headlight out, a taillight out, something like that, we’ll be enforcing all traffic violations.”
New drivers are also a concern during the holidays. “It’s a concern for teen drivers all year long,” Anderson said. “In fact, car crashes are the number one killer for teenagers throughout the year. It’s not drugs, it’s not suicide, but it’s car crashes.”
Illinois State Police say alcohol and drug impairment connected to more than 30% of deadly collisions in Illinois.
