Illinois announces crackdown on drunk drivers through Labor Day weekend

Chicago injury lawyers at Abels & Annes often represent Illinois residents who have been injured by DUI drivers. One car accident case we are currently working on involves the death of two minor children.

The State of Illinois has announced a crackdown on drunk drivers that launches this week and runs through the Labor Day holiday weekend.

Robert Brasky, Illinois Traffic Safety Leaders president, announced officers from all departments will be out in force beginning Aug. 21 and cited motorcycle riders as being at particularly high risk through the holiday weekend.

The Chicago car accident lawyers and motorcycle accident attorneys at Abels & Annes blogged recently about the increase in motorcycle fatalities.

Police will join thousands of other law enforcement and highway safety agencies throughout the nation as they take part in the “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest” crackdown on impaired driving.

In 2007, nearly 13,000 people died in highway crashes involving a driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. About 1 in 3 road fatalities involves drunk driving.

For motorcycle riders, 2007 statistics show a higher percentage (27 percent) had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher than any other type of motor vehicle driver.

The Chicago Sun-Times recently reported Illinois motorcycle accidents are up 22 percent, from 2,180 in 2007 to 2,663 last year.

“Make no mistake. Our message is simple. No matter what you drive-a passenger car, pickup, sport utility vehicle or motorcycle-if police catch you driving impaired, we will arrest you. No exceptions. No excuses,” said Brasky. “Driving with a BAC of .08 or higher is illegal in every state. Yet we continue to see far a tragic number of people with debilitating injuries and deaths as a result of impaired driving. This careless disregard for human life must stop. To help ensure that happens, police are dedicated to arresting impaired drivers wherever and whenever they find them.”

The national “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.” program is organized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and focuses on combining high-visibility enforcement with heightened public awareness and publicity.

For more information, visit www.StopImpairedDriving.org.

If you or someone you love is injured or killed in a car accident or motorcycle accident involving a drunk driver, the Chicago personal injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes offer free appointments to discuss your rights.

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