Last Memorial Day 6 Killed: Police Enforcing for DUI, Seatbelts

The Niles Police Department and more than 500 local law enforcement agencies across the state plan to save more lives by strongly enforcing seat belt laws now through Memorial Day.  

“As we kick-off the busy summer driving season it’s important for everyone to buckle up every trip, every time, day or night,” said Chief of Police Dean H. Strzelecki. 

Provisional numbers show that during the 2012 Memorial Day weekend there were six fatalities and almost 600 injuries on Illinois roadways.  Three of those fatalities were alcohol-related.  Wearing your seat belt is your best defense against an impaired driver, police say.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 52 percent of the 21,253 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2011 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.  As noted, deaths involving seat belt nonuse are more prevalent at night than during the daytime.  According to NHTSA, 62 percent of the 10,135 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2011 during the overnight hours of 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.

“Seat belts save thousands of lives every year, but far too many motorists still are not buckling up, especially at night when the risk of getting in a crash is even greater,” said Sergeant Robert Tornabene.

In 2011, seat belts saved an estimated 11,949 lives nationwide, according to NHTSA.