Downers Grove Police Announce Seat Belt, DUI Crackdown

The Downers Grove Police Department announced Monday its plans for July 4 enforcement, focusing on both drunk and unbuckled drivers.

The village will join the Illinois State Police and hundreds of other law enforcement agencies in the effort, which runs June 28 and runs through July 7, according to Downers Grove Police Lt. David Bormann.

The crackdown is part of the statewide "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" and "Click It or Ticket" effort over the July 4 holiday, he said.

“Year in and year out, Independence Day is one of the deadliest holidays due to an increase in drunk-driving fatalities,” Bormann said in the release. “Too many people die each year due to those who choose to drive after drinking, so our officers will be out in full force this Fourth of July showing zero tolerance for drunk drivers and belt law violators.”

The intensified enforcement effort will focus on late-night hours as statistics show a disproportionate number of traffic deaths occur late at night and involve a drunk driver and/or unbuckled motorist, Bormann said.

To avoid a potential crash or drunk driving arrest, the Downers Grove Police Department recommends designating a sober driver and not letting friends or family members drive drunk. 

Other important tips include: 

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