CHICAGO (STNG) -- Highway fatalities are down this year and an initiative from the Illinois State Police and Illinois Department of Transportation hope to save even more lives by reaching a 100 percent safety belt compliance rate.
The Click It or Ticket mobilization, aimed at saving a record number of lives over the Thanksgiving holiday, was announced Tuesday. While Illinois motorists have reached a record of 91.7 percent safety belt usage, the campaign aims for a 100 percent mark, a release from ISP said.
IDOT, state police and local law enforcement agencies are coordinating the statewide crackdown. In total, 193 enforcement agencies will participate and 12,268 total enforcement hours will be used. The crackdown will be in conjunction with the Operation Save 100 Initiative aimed at saving 100 lives by the end of 2009, the release said.
The crackdown is coupled with a new public service announcement titled, “Cops Everywhere” which features state police and local law enforcement officials reminding motorists to buckle up.
This year marks the sixth anniversary of the primary safety belt law, enacted in 2003. During that time, statewide safety belt compliance has increased 15.5 percentage points, from 76.2 percent in 2003 to 91.7 percent in 2009. Highway fatalities in Illinois have plummeted from a high of 1,454 in 2003 to lows not seen since 1923. The trend has accelerated with highway fatalities down on a provisional basis as of Nov. 10 from 883 at this time last year to 781.
In conjunction with the enforcement crackdown, Operation Save 100 officially began on Nov. 12 and will run through year's end. More than 400 law enforcement agencies have been asked to enhance operations and provide weekly activity and crash reports.
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