Traffic Enforcement Program provides additional funding

West Chicago, Illinois: February 25, 2013 - In recent years, Illinois has experienced significant reductions in motor vehicle crash fatalities. While this is great news, there is much work left to be done to make Illinois roads as safe as they can be. In the Division of Traffic Safety's (DTS) ongoing effort to do just that, the Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) will help Illinois maximize the effect of sustained, stepped-up, year-long traffic enforcement.

The West Chicago Police Department will be joining hundreds of other law enforcement and highway safety agencies across Illinois in the STEP Grant program, which provides sworn police officers funding through a grant for additional hours of dedicated traffic enforcement for child restraint, seatbelt, speeding, and alcohol related violations.

The traffic grant period started on October 1, 2012 and will conclude on September 30, 2013. During this timeframe there will be different enforcement campaigns which are aimed to help educate drivers who violate Illinois traffic laws. The goal of the program is to reduce the amount of fatal crashes and impaired driving and to persuade everyone to use their seatbelt.

The next campaign will begin March 14, 2013 and run through March 17, 2013. This is the third of eight scheduled campaigns that are planned throughout this grant period.