The Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT), the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement agencies together organized wet lab demonstrations in Chicago and 5 other cities across Illinois. The events occurred as the 2011 “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Labor Day campaign enters its second week of stepped-up impaired driving enforcement. The wet lab tests were performed to show alchohol’s effect on drivers.
A wet lab occurs in a controlled environment in which a person consumes alcohol to a level of 0.08 BAC (the limit in Illinois). This allows observation of the real-life effects of impairment and the significant effects of alcohol on a person’s motor skills. Volunteer participants in today’s events attempted Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) administered by police officers to show what happens in an actual Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrest. In addition, the drinking subjects showed how a vehicle equipped with a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID) will not start when an impaired person attempts to drive.
The SFSTs are a sequence of three tests administered and evaluated in a standardized manner to obtain indicators of impairment as it relates to a DUI charge. The tests are administered systematically and are evaluated according to measured responses of the suspect.
“Illinois State Police want motorists to arrive at their final destinations safely during the holiday weekend and will be targeting designated areas looking for speeders, seatbelt violators, distracted drivers, and DUI offenders ,” said ISP Director Hiram Grau. “These are the Fatal 4 violations ISP will be enforcing during the holiday weekend. Violating any of these laws can result in fines and possible jail time and will be treated as criminal acts by the police and court system,” he added.
It will be interesting to see the final arrest numbers around the state and also the number of alcohol related car accidents during this crackdown. If there are an abnormally high number of arrests, will this be because of the increased number of police on patrol? Or will the numbers of arrests and/or car accidents be higher due to the holiday weekend? I think it is critical to look at the numbers a little deeper rather than take them at face value when determing the programs effectiveness. Regardless, this will be positive if there are a lower number of auto accidents than the typical labor day weekend.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago accident attorney, Aaron Bryant, for a free consultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the firm website at www.blgchicago.com.