Buckle Up and Sober Up, Oak Forest

Don't say they didn't warn you.

The , in conjunction with the State's “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket,” programs, is launching a crackdown on impaired driving and seat belt violations Aug. 17 through Sept. 3.

The program will focus on intensified scrutiny of offenses during overnight hours—especially midnight to 3 a.m.—which is the deadliest time on Illinois roadways, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“The numbers do not lie. We will be stepping up our late-night enforcement efforts along with our daytime enforcement, making sure impaired drivers are off the road and motorists are buckled up,” said Deputy Chief Dominic D’Ambrosio in a press release. “In Oak Forest, the message is simple … 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and Click It or Ticket.'”

The police department offered several suggestions for keeping safe at night.

• 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 seat belt and make sure all passengers are buckled up. It is your best defense against an impaired driver.

The crackdown begins Aug. 17 and will run through Labor Day, Sept. 3. 

Want more Oak Forest police news? Check out: