This year’s Thanksgiving weekend brought record-low crash fatalities.
Data collected by the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Division of Traffic Safety showed decline in fatal car crashes from the 6 p.m. the night before Thanksgiving to midnight Nov. 25, with only three incidents this year compared with eight last year.
On average, there have been about 12 deaths from car crashes each year since 2009, with about 50 percent of the incidents being alcohol-related, according to the Division of Traffic Safety.
To combat extensive reports of drinking and driving over the holiday and especially what is referred to as “blackout Wednesday,” IDOT along with hundreds of law enforcement agencies and the Secretary of State’s office launched the “Drive to Survive” campaign Nov. 19. The campaign urged drivers to buckle up and avoid drinking and driving as an increased number of law enforcement officers would be on the roads.
IDOT Secretary Ann Schneider said in a news release that the state has been working to improve traffic safety on Illinois roadways, especially over holiday weekends.
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“Under Gov. Quinn’s leadership, statewide seat belt usage rates are at record highs and annual traffic fatalities appear on track to total less than 1,000 for the fourth consecutive year,” she said. “Major capital improvements under way for Illinois roads and bridges should continue to reap logistical and safety benefits for motorists in years to come.”
IDOT spokesman Josh Kauffman said that this year, the department aimed to involve more enforcement agencies and media campaigns. Kauffman said the campaign is expected to continue through the end of the year.
“I think the public did get the message,” said Dave Druker, spokesman at the Secretary of State’s office. “It seems like, by and large, the crashes were at a minimum.”
As someone who drove to Chicago last year in December during the holidays, Ho Jae Nam, senior in LAS, said it is a relief to know that the state cares about traffic safety.
“Last year when I was driving, I barely saw any police officers on the road,” Nam said. “It is good to know that police officers will be overlooking traffic safety.”
Carina can be reached at [email protected].
