Illinois State Police and more than 200 law enforcement agencies across the state — including many in Kane County — are joining the national “Border to Border” campaign by increasing seat belt patrols and enforcement zones today through Memorial Day.

Randall Road traffic.

“Illinois has seen a decrease in fatal motor vehicle crashes this year, but we need to continue diligently enforcing traffic laws proven to save lives,” said Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “We all have a responsibility to ensure the safety of the people in our vehicles. As always, seat belts are your best line of defense in a crash.”

Organized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as part of the “Click It or Ticket” campaign, Border to Border harnesses the power of 10,000 agencies across the nation — between states, cities and other local jurisdictions — to increase seat belt use and save lives.

“The Click It or Ticket and Border to Border operation lands just prior to the Memorial Day weekend, one of the busiest travel periods of the year,” said ISP Acting Director Brendan Kelly. “Seat belt compliance is one of the easiest and most effective life-saving measures motorists can take to prevent a fatality. We want to remind motorists to buckle up, reduce their speed, drop their phones and focus on the drive.”

Be mindful of these traffic laws when traveling this summer:

• Buckle up. Wearing a seat belt positions you in the vehicle safely, works with air bags to protect you and slows the body down in a crash. In Illinois, all occupants, regardless of seating position, are required to wear a properly adjusted seat belt.
• Slow down. Speed drastically increases the risk of injury or death in a crash. Traveling over the speed limit could cost you hundreds of dollars in fines.
• Sober up. Alcohol and drugs inhibit your ability to operate a vehicle. Not only is impaired driving dangerous, it is punishable with jail time.
• Phone down. Using a phone for talking, texting or social media is not only dangerous, it is illegal in Illinois. Taking your eyes off the road for even a second drastically increases the likelihood of a crash.

St. Charles Police Department News Release

The St. Charles Police Department is continuing its support of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program for FY2019 and reminds motorists to fasten their seat belts over the Memorial Day Holiday period or run the risk of receiving a ticket.

The objective of the STEP program is to reduce the incidence of motor vehicle crashes and the resulting injuries and fatalities, through increased highly visible enforcement of occupant restraint, impaired driving, speed and pedestrian safety during national and state enforcement campaigns.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes.

The goals of the STEP Program are to reduce the number of severe injury and fatal traffic crashes, to achieve a higher use of safety belts, child safety seats and booster seats and to 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.

For more information contact the St. Charles Police Department at 630-377-4435.

SOURCE: IDOT, St. Charles Police Department news releases