Buckle Up And Drive Sober This Halloween: St. Charles Police

ST. CHARLES, IL — It's Halloween week, and St. Charles Police Department officers are out conducting DUI and seat belt enforcement, in support of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP). According to a police department news release, motorists are reminded to fasten their seat belts or risk receiving a ticket, during the campaign period, which continues through Nov. 3. The enforcement campaign is taking place along with the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over/Click It or Ticket, according to police.

"If you wait until you’re 'buzzed' to make a decision, you may decide to drive," police said, in the release. Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving, which means that driving “buzzed” brings very serious consequences, police added.

According to police, fastening a seat belt takes only a second or two, and costs you nothing. However, not wearing a seat belt, especially during this period of Halloween festivities, will at the very least cost you a ticket, or even worse, your life. Seat belt use is the most effective way to protect people and reduce the number of fatalities in motor vehicle crashes, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

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The goals of the STEP Program are to:

• Reduce the number of severe injury and fatal traffic crashes.
• Achieve a higher use of safety belts, child safety seats and booster seats in all seating positions.
• Achieve a lower incidence of impaired driving involved injuries and fatalities.
• "Research has shown that when lap and shoulder belts are used properly, the risk of fatal injury to front seat passenger car occupants is reduced by 45 percent, and the risk of moderate to serious injury is reduced by 50 percent."

Related:

• St. Charles Halloween 2019 Trick-Or-Treating Hours
  
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• Geneva Sets Trick-or-Treating Hours

The St. Charles Police Department wants all drivers drive sober and all drivers and passengers to to "click it."

More information: buckleupillinois.org.