LITH Police Step Up Enforcement for July 4 Weekend

The Lake in the Hills Police Department has stepped up enforcement on area roadways as part of a statewide crackdown over the Fourth of July weekend.

The police department will have intensified patrols out during late-night hours, watching for drunken drivers and seat-belt violations, according to a release.

“Nighttime is the most critical time for motor vehicle fatalities,” said James Wales, the LITH Police Department's police and public safety director, in the press release. “Law enforcement is dedicated to the cause and will be stepping up our late-night enforcement efforts, making sure impaired drivers are off the road and motorists are buckled up.” 

The increased enforcement is part of a statewide effort involving the Illinois State Police and nearly 300 local police and sheriff's departments that began June 17 and continues through July 4.

More than $1 million in federal highway safety funds is used to fund the July 4 holiday weekend enforcement.

Past July 4th Driving Statistics, Safety Tips

 During last year's Fourth of July weekend, 10 people died in traffic fatalities – seven of those involved a drunken driver – and 780 were injured in crashes in Illinois, according to the news release.

The Lake in the Hills Police Department offers the following tips to avoid drunken driving and traffic accidents this Fourth of July:

• Plan ahead. Designate a sober driver before going out and give that person your keys;
• If you are impaired, call a taxi, use mass transit or call a sober friend or family member to get you home safely;
• Promptly report impaired drivers you see on the roadways to law enforcement by pulling over and dialing 911;
• Make sure everyone in your vehicle wears his or her safety belt. It is your best defense against an impaired driver.