This Halloween, The Rock Island Police Department is cracking down on impaired drivers with an aggressive Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement effort and is giving a fair warning to holiday revelers: Keep the party off the road.
“On
Halloween, we urge you to beware of impaired driving,” said Chief JeffVenHuizen. “Driving impaired
by alcohol or drugs is deadly, it is illegal and it will get you pulled overand arrested this Halloween.
According to National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration estimates, more than 300 people were killed inalcohol-impaired motor vehicle crashes in each of the last three years in
Illinois. In 2014, 302 people lost theirlives in crashes involving at least one driver with a blood alcohol content
(BAC) of .08 or above. In 2015, that number rose slightly to 315 and remainedthe same in 2016. Just one DUI arrest could cost an estimated $18,000 or more
and result in revoked driving privileges for up to a year.
TheDrive Sober or Get Pulled Overenforcement campaign urges everyone to follow these simple tips to help keepour roads safe during Halloween:
- Plan a safe way to get home before you attend a party.
- Designate a sober driver, take public transportation, use your favorite ride-sharing service, or call a sober friend or family member to
get home. - Walking while impaired can be just as dangerous as driving
impaired. Designate a sober friend to walk you home. - If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact local law
enforcement as soon as it is safe to do so. - If you see an impaired person about to drive, take their keys and
help them get home safely.
The Halloweenenforcement effort is made possible by federal traffic safety funds administered
by the Illinois Department of Transportation.