CARTERVILLE, Ill. (WSIL) - With millions expected to travel this Thanksgiving, law enforcement has prepared for one of the busiest travel holiday weekends of the year. But with more cars on the road, the risks of crashes increase.听聽
Jayme Bufford, an Illinois State Trooper says,聽"The fatal four.. we include drinking under the influence, speeding, not wearing your seatbelt, and distracted driving.. so those are the main things that we see on the roadways and the main things that we're looking for."
ISP says, the number of DUI incidents has continued to rise as well. In 2022, there were 115 DUI tickets issued during the Thanksgiving period, but that number jumped to 139 in 2023.
Trooper Bufford says, you can designate a sober driver or use a rideshare company, like Lyft or Uber.听
The Department of Transportation is also preparing for the holiday rush.听聽
Benjamin Wills is a construction engineer with IDOT District 9. He says they try to ease traffic congestion.听"We try to restrict lane closures between 3pm wednesday and essentially monday morning the following week."
For real-time updates on construction and delays, drivers are encouraged to check IDOT鈥檚 official page or their .听
Both police and transportation officials say it's important you stay aware while behind the wheel. ISP says always slow down and move over if you see emergency vehicles or stranded motorists on the side of the road. A bit of awareness聽could make all the difference.
