Police are warning drivers of increased enforcement through the upcoming holiday weekend.

The Carbondale Police Department announced Aug. 10 its late night plans for the 2012 Labor Day “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over/Click It or Ticket” crackdown.

The patrol increase began Friday and will continue through Labor Day, Sept. 3.

Advertisement

Police enforcement will focus on the late night hours between midnight and 3 a.m., which is considered the deadliest on Illinois roadways, according to information from the Illinois Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

It is also the time when there is the highest amount of alcohol involvement and lowest seat belt usage.

“The numbers do not lie,” Lt. Don Priddy said. “We will be stepping up our late-night enforcement efforts, making sure impaired drivers are off the road and motorists are buckled up. In Carbondale, the message is simple: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and Click It or Ticket.”

The Carbondale Police Department recommends designating a sober driver before going out, calling a taxi or using a mass transit system after consuming alcohol. The department also recommends to make sure everyone in the car is buckled and to report suspicious driving activity to avoid arrest or a fatal accident.