For many, the holidays represent the best time of the year a moment to come together, celebrate, reflect and enjoy the company of friends and family. Regrettably, this joyous season is also marked by a rise in traffic fatalities exacerbated by impaired driving due to alcohol or cannabis use in connection with holiday festivities.
To enhance public safety and combat impaired driving, the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office is participating in the 2024 Illinois holiday season “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. From December 13th to January 2nd, law enforcement officers across the state and nation will join forces to conduct high-visibility enforcement, targeting and apprehending impaired drivers.
The statistics are alarming: In the U.S., one person dies approximately every 45 minutes in an impaired driving crash, constituting approximately one-third of all annual traffic fatalities. In essence, these fatalities are entirely preventable, and drivers must bear in mind that operating a vehicle under the influence of any impairing substance-be it cannabis or alcohol, legal or illegal, prescription or non-prescription is not only lethal but also illegal and selfish behavior.
Choosing not to drive impaired is a straightforward decision. Alcohol-and drug-impaired driving is a criminal offense and poses a deadly threat to the driver, their passengers and other road users. We will remain passengers vigilant, actively identifying impaired drivers during the holiday period and maintaining zero tolerance for anyone operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, cannabis or other drugs. If caught driving impaired, there will be no exceptions-you will be arrested.
While the high-visibility enforcement campaign concludes in the early morning hours of Jan. 2, our commitment to enforcing DUI laws is unwavering. Alcohol and cannabis-impaired driving is never acceptable. Ultimately, impaired driving is entirely preventable. Please drive sober to protect yourself and others this holiday season and beyond.