Illinois State Police stepping up patrols and safety checks this month in Kane County

Illinois State Police District 2 Commander Captain Linda Mandat announces the state police will conduct occupant restraint enforcement patrols and distracted driving enforcement program patrols in Kane County during December.

Occupant restraint enforcement

• Occupant restraint enforcement patrols allow the state police to focus on safety belt and child safety seat laws. Illinois law requires all vehicle passengers (front and back) to be buckled up.

Safety belts are still one of the most effective safety devices in vehicles, estimated to save nearly 14,000 lives each year. Half of vehicle occupants killed in a traffic crash were not properly buckled up. The objective of this program is to increase occupant restraint compliance through education, child seat inspections, and enforcement.

Distracted driving enforcement

The distracted driving enforcement program allows state police to focus on distracted driving laws to prevent traffic deaths and serious injury crashes.

Distractions can increase a driver's risk of being in an accident:

• Eating or drinking (nonalcoholic beverages) increases the risk by three times.

• Sending a text message increases the risk by four times.

• Reaching for an object increases the risk by eight times.

• Reading a text message can take a driver's eyes off the road for an average of five seconds.

Officers will be on the lookout for drivers who disobey Illinois' distracted driving laws, especially the following:

• All drivers are prohibited from reading, sending, or receiving text messages or communication, and from browsing the internet.

• All drivers are prohibited from using handheld electronic communication devices.

• Drivers under the age of 19 are prohibited from using any cellphone, even hands-free.

• All drivers are prohibited from using any cellphone, even hands-free, while in school speed zones and work zones.

• School bus drivers are not permitted to use any type of cellphone, even hands-free.

• It is illegal to use a cellphone or take photos or videos on wireless devices when driving within 500 feet of an emergency scene.

This distracted driving enforcement campaign is made possible by traffic safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation.