Riverside Police Step Up Super Bowl Weekend Traffic Enforcement

Submitted by the Riverside Police Department.

Riverside, IL – The Riverside Police Department will conduct special patrols this Super Bowl weekend, looking for and cracking down on alcohol and drug-impaired drivers.

“We are reminding everyone to drive sober this weekend in Riverside or get pulled over!” said Sergeant Miller. “If you plan on drinking alcohol while cheering your team on to victory, pass your keys to a sober, designated driver before the Super Bowl party begins. Follow the rules, or law enforcement will penalize you with a DUI.”

“Weekends are often a deadly time on our roads and this weekend in particular can be even more dangerous, due to impaired drivers,” said Sergeant Miller. “That’s why we will be working overtime with increased saturation patrols and enforcement zones to catch and arrest anyone who is driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.”

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2014 9,967 people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in the United States — 31 percent of all vehicle crash fatalities in the nation. The numbers go even higher on weekends. There were 5,447 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities, making up 40 percent of all fatalities that occurred during weekends.

Sergeant Miller said that always designating a sober driver and not letting friends drive impaired are just two of several simple steps to help avoid a tragic crash or a DUI arrest. Other important tips include:

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

“We will show zero tolerance,” said Sgt. Miller. “So remember, designate your sober driver before the parties begin.”

The law enforcement crackdown is funded by federal traffic safety funds through IDOT and is part of Illinois Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.