Naperville Cops Buckle Down With Driver Safety This Thanksgiving

NAPERVILLE, IL — Naperville Police officers are buckling down this Thanksgiving when it comes to wearing seat belts, and other infractions. If you're running late to a family dinner, don't text, and if you've had too much to drink at dinner, don't drive, because cops are not taking a holiday this Thanksgiving.

Naperville Police has teamed up with the Illinois Department of Transportation for another Click It or Ticket campaign to reduce crashes and fatalities. IDOT reports that the nation's seat belt usage rate is 93.8 percent.

“Wearing your seat belt is second nature for most,” said Naperville Police Sgt. Derek Zook. “We’re looking for the few Illinois motorists who skip this lifesaving step.”

This Thanksgiving, Illinois roads are predicted to be extremely busy with over 9 million cars expected on the tollway. Expect a boost in patrols, too. Seat belt enforcement zones have been set up throughout Naperville and the state Nov. 17 - 27.

The press release says last year, 11 people died in Illinois roads during the Thanksgiving weekend, and many of those could have been prevented by wearing seat belts. Statistics show they reduce the risk of fatal injuries to a front seat passenger by 45 percent. Cops are also on the lookout for drivers texting, and those who have had too much to drink, as Thanksgiving is said to be one of the heaviest drinking days of the year, along with Thanksgiving Eve.

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