Area Police Remind You to "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" During Labor Day Weekend

The "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign began on August 21st, and area cops say they'll be keeping a close eye on the roads all the way through Labor Day Weekend.

With an overall goal of making ZERO fatalities a reality here in Illinois, law enforcement agencies, from the Illinois State Police right down to local police departments are targeting those folks on the road who make life so difficult (and sometimes fatal) for their fellow drivers--impaired drivers who'll be sharing the streets and highways with you and I over Labor Day Weekend.

Lt. Carl Heintz, Operations Officer for Illinois State Police District 16, says police will be focusing on something called the "Fatal Four." The Fatal Four are the four primary factors that contribute to a fatal auto crash:

Speeding
DUI
Not using seat belts
Distracted driving

Illinois troopers will also be keeping their eyes on all other types of driving behaviors, including failure to reduce speed, change lanes if possible, and proceed with caution when approaching a vehicle on the side of the road.

With over 40,000 people killed in auto-related accidents in 2016 (that's up 14% from 2014), plus bicycle, motorcycle, and pedestrian injuries and deaths all on the rise, you can expect a strong police presence as we head into Labor Day Weekend.