Suburban police departments participate in “Drive to Survive”

During the holidays, multiple police departments in the Northwest suburbs are participating in a “Drive to Survive” campaign sponsored by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

From now through New Year’s Day, increased traffic enforcement will be found in Arlington Heights, Barrington, Bartlett, Hanover Park, Elk Grove Village, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Wheeling. The departments will concentrate their efforts on drunk drivers and seat belt violators during nighttime hours.

According to data from IDOT and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the deadliest time to be on Illinois roadways is from midnight to 3 a.m. Data also shows that alcohol and decreased seat-belt use plays a more significant role in motor vehicle fatalities from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m.

“The numbers do not lie. We will be stepping up our late-night enforcement efforts, making sure drunk drivers are off the road and motorists are buckled up,” Rolling Meadows Police Sgt. Tom Gadomski said in a news release.

Some police will have increased patrols specific to that time frame, such as the Palatine Police Department, which will conduct a roadside safety check in the area of Algonquin and Roselle roads from the late evening hours Friday to the early morning hours Saturday.

All the departments are urging drivers to buckle up, designate a sober driver and call 911 immediately if they witness erratic or impaired driving.