SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – It’s best you continue to drive safely throughout the rest of the Thanksgiving weekend.
“There will be more patrols out, more state troopers out, more local law enforcement officials out patrolling the roads. the highways, to make sure everyone gets from point A to point B safely,” said Paul Wappel, Illinois Department of Transportation spokesperson. ”
As is often the case with other holiday periods, local law enforcement got federal money to provide extra patrols, with the hope that bad or drunk drivers will get off the roads.
“They’re joining together so everybody makes it to Thanksgiving, their destinations safely,” said Wappel. “They’re going to do their best to keep impaired drivers off the road. We want to remind everybody to encourage them to use your seat belt. It’s the law, of course. But it’s also your best defense in a crash.”
Wappel says local and state police will be looking for drunk and distracted drivers, speeders, those not wearing a seat belt, and other violations.
The state says as of two weeks ago, 1090 people have lost their lives in traffic crashes statewide this year, an increase over last year.
