FREEPORT, Illinois — As everyone gears up for one of the busiest travel times of the year, the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office announced its plans for a traffic safety campaign focusing on impaired and unbuckled drivers. 

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, 15 motor vehicle crash fatalities occurred in Illinois over the 2018 Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Five of the 15 deaths occurred in crashes involving at least one driver who had been drinking. 

The Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement across Illinois for the increased statewide effort. The high-visibility crackdown will run from Nov. 22 through Thanksgiving weekend and into the early morning hours of Dec. 2. 

The “Click It or Ticket” and “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaigns are funded by federal traffic safety funds administered by IDOT. The crackdown runs concurrently with a media campaign reminding motorists that impaired driving has “Life or Death” consequences. Visit lifeordeathillinois.com for more information.