CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – The Illinois State Police (ISP) Troop 7 will conduct Nighttime Enforcement (NITE) patrols, Alcohol Countermeasure Enforcement (ACE) patrols, and Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrols (OREP) throughout October.
NITE patrols help the ISP focus on preventing, detecting, and enforcing action in impaired driving and occupant restraint violations, focusing on the hours of 9:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m. The number of unrestrained drivers killed in accidents is significantly higher at night and impaired driving means even more traffic deaths during these hours. Officers are looking for motorists who show signs of impaired driving, improper seatbelt and child restraint, speeding, and distracted driving.
According to the ISP, alcohol and drug impairment are a factor in more than 47% of all motor fatalities in Illinois. More than 50% of all fatal crashes in Illinois occur at night. There is one alcohol-related traffic fatality every 39 minutes in the United States.
The ACE and OREP patrols will be implemented in Macon and Vermilion counties during October. Safety belts are estimated to save over 14,000 lives each year. Nearly 50% of vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes were not wearing a seat belt.
The Illinois Department of Transportation funds this program.