Hinsdale Police Set for St. Paddy's Weekend Crackdown

Hinsdale police plans to be out in force to make sure everyone has a safe St. Patrick's Day holiday.

Expect to see more Hinsdale officers between March 14 and March 17, as they look for late-night impaired drivers and safety belt violators. The effort underscores the disproportionate number of traffic deaths occurring during late-night hours.

The midnight to 3 a.m. timeframe is the deadliest time on Illinois roads, according to data from the Illinois Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Not coincidentally, the data also shows this time of day has the highest percentage of alcohol involvement and the lowest occupant restraint use.

Safety Tips

The Hinsdale Police Department recommends the following tips to stay safe during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday:

• Plan ahead. Designate a sober driver before going out and give that person your keys.
• If you are impaired, call a taxi, use mass transit or call a sober friend or family member to get you home safely.
• Promptly report impaired drivers you see on the roadways to law enforcement.
• Wear your safety belt. It is your best defense against an impaired driver.

The law enforcement crackdown is funded by federal traffic safety funds through IDOT’s Division of Traffic Safety, and runs concurrently with a media campaign that will remind motorists "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over." For more information, visit www.drivesoberillinois.org.

The information in this article was courtesy of the Hinsdale Police Department.

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