Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
Alcohol-related car accidents in Chicago and elsewhere throughout the state will be a top concern of officials throughout the holiday season and the remainder of the year.
State Rep. Carol Sente (D-59th) has applauded local law enforcement agencies on their efforts to track down drunk drivers on our roadways and on their efforts to keep our roads safe during the busy holiday travel season, according to The Chicago-Sun Times.Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has also commended the work of law enforcement agencies in the state for their efforts to combat drunk drivers on our roadways. Illinois recently received a five-star rating, the highest rating possible, for its efforts to stop drunk drivers. Illinois was one of the only five states that got this high of a rating.
Our Chicago drunk driving accident attorneys understand that we are not the only ones who are looking to keep our roadways free of drunk drivers over the holiday season. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently launched a nationwide crackdown, the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, to target these irresponsible drivers as well, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to new statistics, although the number of drunk driving accidents across the country declined over the last year, about a third of all roadway fatalities are caused by a drunk driver.
“Safety is our focus year round at DOT. But this holiday season, we’re stepping up our efforts to get drunk drivers off our roads and reminding Americans ‘drive sober, or get pulled over,’ ” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
In 2010, there were 28 states that reported an increase in the number of drunk driving-related fatalities. Each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia has a legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit of 0.08. Still, there were nearly 10,500 people who were killed in alcohol-related car accidents. More than 400 of these accidents happened in the second half of December!
During the USDOT’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, there will be thousands of law enforcement agencies nationwide that will join together to target intoxicated drivers on our roadways. To accompany this increased enforcement, a $7 million dollar advertisement campaign will be running from December 16th through January 2nd.
The NHTSA;s Administrator David Strickland would like to thank law enforcement agencies nationwide along with safe driving advocates for committing their efforts to making our roadways safe throughout the holiday season. This increase in efforts is expected to reduce the number of drunk driving accidents. Strickland said that the message is clear; if you drink and get behind the wheel, you will be pulled over.
“Drinking alcohol and driving do not mix,” said James Wales, with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). “If you plan to consume alcohol, you should plan not to get behind the wheel of a vehicle or ride a motorcycle.”
If you, a family member or a loved one has been injured in an alcohol-related car accident, the personal injury attorneys and wrongful death lawyers at Abels & Annes offer free and confidential appointments to discuss your rights. Call (866) 99-ABELS. There is no fee unless you win.
More Blog Entries:
State Receives Recognition for Combating Drunk Driving Accidents in Illinois
November 21, 2011
Local Celebs Participate in Demonstration to Raise Awareness of Drunk Driving Accidents in Illinois
September 13, 2011