PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: November 22, 2019

For Information Contact:  Commander Jim Gandy (630) 530-3050

                                                                              Before hitting the road this Thanksgiving, buckle up and designate a sober driver!

Elmhurst, IL – As Illinois residents gear up for one of the busiest travel periods of the year, the Elmhurst Police Department is announcing its plan for a traffic safety enforcement campaign focusing on impaired and unbuckled drivers.

“Holiday traffic brings with it an increased risk for accidents,” says Commander Jim Gandy. “To ensure your family makes it to and from your Thanksgiving feast without incident, make a conscious choice to buckle up—and plan ahead for a sober ride home.”

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, 15 motor vehicle crash fatalities occurred in Illinois over the 2018 Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Five of the 15 deaths were in crashes involving at least one driver who had been drinking.

In an effort to combat these grim statistics, the Elmhurst Police are partnering with the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement agencies across Illinois on a statewide safety enforcement effort. This high-visibility enforcement will begin on Friday, Nov. 22 and run through the holiday weekend into the early morning hours of Monday, Dec. 2.

The “Click It or Ticket” and “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaigns are funded by federal traffic safety funds administered by IDOT. The crackdown runs concurrently with a media campaign reminding motorists that impaired driving has “Life or Death” consequences. Visit: lifeordeathillinois.com for more information.

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