Effingham, IL-(Effingham Radio)- The Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police and more than 200 law enforcement agencies throughout the state are teaming up to remind the public to buckle up and drive sober over the Memorial Day weekend. The effort coincides with the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign running through May 26.
“Wearing a seat belt should be second nature for every driver and every passenger,” said Stephane B. Seck-Birhame, IDOT’s bureau chief of Safety Programs and Engineering. “If you choose to not buckle up, the result could be a ticket, or worse, you lose your life in a crash.”
According to IDOT data, 252 people not properly restrained were killed in crashes in 2024. While Illinois has a achieved a seat belt usage rate of 93%, the remaining 7% continue to put themselves at unnecessary risk.
The “Click It or Ticket” campaign comes in advance of the “100 deadliest days of summer,” which historically marks an increase in fatalities between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The increase in traffic and behaviors associated with crashes that come during summer holiday weekends almost always correlate with an increase in fatalities. Last year’s Memorial Day weekend – from 6 p.m. Friday, May 23, to 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 26 – saw 10 crashes resulting in 11 deaths in Illinois.
“Seat belts save lives. Anyone who says differently has not seen the thousands of crashes that ISP troopers see every year,” said ISP Division of Patrol Col. Chris Owen. “No matter where you are in the vehicle or how short the distance, buckle up, every time.”
Buckle up the right way:
- Position the shoulder belt across the middle of your chest and away from your neck.
- Place the lap belt low across your hips – not your stomach.
- Never place the seat belt behind your back or under your arm.
For more information on the “Click It or Ticket” Memorial Day campaign, visit www.buckleupillinois.org. The effort is administered by IDOT with federal funds and coincides with the comprehensive multimedia campaign “It’s Not a Game.”
The Illinois Department of Transportation also announced that lanes that have been closed for construction will reopen, where possible, for the Memorial Day weekend to minimize travel disruption.
Non-emergency closures will be suspended from 3 p.m. Friday, May 22, to 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 25.
The following lane closures will remain in place during the holiday weekend. The public can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through these areas. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and stay alert for workers and equipment. At all times, please buckle up and drive sober.
District 7
Clark County
- I-70 at Marshall; lane reductions continue.
- Cleone Road over I-70 at Martinsville; lane reductions continue, with traffic controlled by temporary signals.
Clay County
- Old U.S. 50 about 2 miles west of Flora; lane reductions continue, with traffic controlled by temporary signals.
Cumberland County
- U.S. 40 about a mile west of Greenup; closed, detour posted.
- I-57 over U.S. 45 and the Eastern Illinois Railroad at Neoga; lane reductions continue.
Effingham County
- I-57 at Watson; lane reductions continue.
- I-57 near the Green Creek Rest Areas north of Effingham; lane reductions continue.
- I-70 at Altamont; lane reductions continue.
Lawrence County
- Illinois 1 north and south of Lawrenceville; lane reductions continue, with traffic controlled by temporary signals.
Moultrie County
- Cadwell Road about 3 miles north of the Kaskaskia River Wildlife Area; lane reductions continue, with traffic controlled by temporary signals.
Wayne County
- Illinois 15 about 4 miles west of Fairfield; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals.
- Illinois 15 just north of Wayne City; lane reductions continue, with traffic controlled by temporary signals.
- Illinois 15 over the Little Wabash River about 6 miles east of Fairfield; lane reductions continue, with traffic controlled by temporary signals
Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve 7,107 lane miles of highway and 8.4 million square feet of bridge deck as part of Gov. JB Pritzker’s historic Rebuild Illinois, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Accomplishments through Year Six of Rebuild Illinois include almost $20.8 billion of improvements statewide to 21,309 lane miles of highway, 815 bridges and 1,181 additional safety improvements.
For more information on IDOT projects, click here or view area construction details on the traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.
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