Increased Number of Drunk Drivers on Labor Day Weekend

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Drunk Driving Accidents

Just days ago the South Elgin Police Department announced that they will be increasing the number of officers on the streets patrolling for drunk drivers around the Labor Day holiday. Officer Dan Eichholz told the Chicago Tribune that the department received a special grant to deploy these officers, who have been “tasked with the specific function or detecting and arresting impaired motorists.”

The Illinois Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded the grant as part of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) funds allocated to help keep the roads safer. The increased enforcement effort is part of the Illinois DOT “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket” campaigns.

The National Safety Council keeps statistics on Labor Day crash fatalities, and holidays like Labor Day usually see increased numbers of drunk drivers and arrests for drunk driving. In 2011, the NSC estimated that there would be roughly 400 traffic fatalities over the course of Labor Day Weekend, and nearly 39,000 injuries would occur from motor vehicle collisions. For the previous six years before the report was issued, Labor Day weekend had 14.6 percent more fatalities than other similar non-holiday periods. Similarly to the increased number of enforcement officers in Elgin County, a nationwide increase in patrol officers is seen on holiday weekends like Labor Day and is meant to “focus their attention on impaired drivers.”

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), there are several precautions that can be taken to help avoid having a bad accident involving a drunk driver. Wearing safety belts is an important one—the NSC estimates that 142 people would survive Labor Day Weekend because they were wearing seat belts at the time of crash, and another 100 people would have been saved if they were wearing seat belts. Another important factor is enforcing a zero tolerance policy with underage members of your family. Finally, the most obvious factor is to not drink and drive by either designating a sober driver or taking public transportation.

This Labor Day, consider these precautions to protect yourself and your family from incidences of drunk driving.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a drunk driving accident in which you were not at fault, you may be eligible for compensation. Do not go through it alone. Contact a compassionate Waukegan motor vehicle accident attorney today.