Holiday crackdown on cell phones, seat belts yields 49 tickets in Oak Park

As part of a statewide effort to emphasize refraining from hand held cell phone use and failure to wear seat belts, 49 tickets were issued by the Oak Park Police Department between June 26 and July 5, according to a news release from the department.

The police made 54 stops during this period issuing 28 tickets for failure to wear a seat belt, eight for driving with a hand held cell phone, three for invalid or suspended licenses, one for driving while intoxicated and for nine other traffic citations.

“Extra emphasis was given to the late-night hours, when statistics show the highest number of motorists drink and drive and the fewest buckle up,” Deputy Police Chief Anthony Ambrose said.

The effort was part of the state’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket” campaigns. The extra effort was funded by federal traffic safety funds through the Illinois Department of Transportation Division of Traffic Safety.