IDOT, ISP Kick Off Impaired Driving Campaign Around Super Bowl 2009

IDOT and ISP remind football fans to designate a sober driver before the party begins

Springfield– The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Illinois State Police (ISP) officials announced details today about the You Drink & Drive. You Lose campaign in an effort to prevent impaired driving around the Super Bowl. They are also reminding fans of the new law that requires a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID) be installed for first-time DUI offenders.

“Impaired driving remains one of the most severe epidemics plaguing our society today,” said IDOT Secretary Milton R. Sees. “With the BAIID law in effect and law enforcement out in full force Super Bowl Sunday, we hope to drive the number of crashes involving alcohol to a new low.”

“Throughout Super Bowl Sunday, the Illinois State Police will have Troopers diligently enforcing driving under the influence and seat belt laws,” said Illinois State Police Director Larry G. Trent. “Law enforcement recognizes that the ‘big game’ can be a time to celebrate with family and friends. If alcohol is a part of the celebration and you decide to drink, we encourage you to designate a sober driver or call a taxi.”

IDOT’s Division of Traffic Safety is supporting the You Drink & Drive. You Lose campaign and the new law by coordinating outreach events on radio stations throughout the state and providing interview opportunities with Division of Traffic Safety staff beginning January 26th to February 1st. To combat impaired driving, IDOT’s Division of Traffic Safety has over $150,000 in grants made available to Illinois State Police and local law enforcement agencies to conduct stepped-up impaired driving patrols.

Nationally in 2007, fatalities in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes accounted for 32 percent of the total motor vehicle traffic fatalities. Statistics indicate that during Super Bowl Sunday last year (12:01 a.m. Sunday to 5:59 a.m. Monday), 48 percent of the fatalities occurred in crashes where a motorists had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of 0.08 or higher.

The Illinois Department of Transportation suggests the following tips for those planning to consume alcohol while watching the Super Bowl:

• Designate a sober driver before the party begins;
   

• Call a taxi, use mass transit, or call a sober friend or family member to get you home safely;
   

• Use your community’s designated driver program, if established;
   

• Report impaired drivers to law enforcement;
   

• Spend the night where the activity is being held and sleep it off;
   

• Always buckle up – it’s your best defense against an impaired driver.

For more information about impaired driving in Illinois, log onto www.drivesoberillinois.org.