PESOTUM, IL (Chambana Today) — The Illinois State Police (ISP) Troop 7 Commander, Heather Apperson, has announced the results of recent Nighttime Enforcement (NITE) patrols conducted throughout Champaign County in October. The goal of these patrols was to focus on preventing impaired driving and enforcing occupant restraint laws, particularly between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
During the NITE patrols, officers conducted enforcement actions and made a significant number of citations and arrests:
- Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Citations: 0
- Other Alcohol/Drug Citations: 0
- Occupant Restraint Offenses: 1
- Registration Offenses: 1
- Driver’s License Offenses: 5
- Insurance Violations: 4
A total of 41 citations were issued, and 11 written warnings were provided during the enforcement period.
The ISP notes that alcohol and drug impairment are significant factors in fatal crashes, contributing to more than 47% of fatal motor vehicle accidents in Illinois. Nationally, one alcohol-related traffic fatality occurs every 39 minutes. Additionally, over half of all fatal crashes in Illinois take place at night. The NITE program is aimed at reducing these risks by targeting impaired drivers and ensuring that all passengers are properly restrained.
This project was funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation, and the ISP continues to remind the public: “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”
For more information about the Illinois State Police’s enforcement initiatives, please contact the ISP Public Information Office at ISP.PIO.Personnel@illinois.gov.