Police Launch Crackdown on Drunken Driving

Northbrook police will begin an 18-day crackdown on drunken driving starting Friday, as part of a nationwide campaign called “You Drink & Drive, You Lose.”

“Our message is simple and unwavering: If we find you driving impaired, we will arrest you. No exceptions,” Traffic Officer Chris Lacina said in a press release.

More than 10,000 people died in 2009 due to crashes in which a driver or motorcyclist was at or above a state's legal limit regarding blood alcohol content (BAC) level, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In Illinois, that level is 0.08 percent.

“All too often, innocent, law-abiding people suffer tragic consequences and the loss of loved ones due to this careless disregard for human life,” Lacina said in the release.

A drunken-driving-related crash shook the area recently, when two people died after . Silvia Garcia-Seguar, 22, of Chicago, was heading eastbound on Willow Road in Northfield when she apparently drifted out of her lane, crossed the centerline and struck another car. She died a few hours after the accident, while the other driver, Soo Hum Shin, 63, fell into a coma and died a few days later.

Garcia-Seguar’s BAC level was nearly three times the legal limit, according to police. It was , police reported.

Accidents involving drunken driving are twice as likely to occur over the weekend and four times as likely to occur at night, Lacina said, while individuals ages 21-24 are most likely to die in crashes involving elevated BAC levels, according to NHTSA.  

“Because we’re committed to ending the carnage, we’re intensifying enforcement during the crackdown,” he said. 

Individuals who are convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol may face jail time, may lose their driver’s license or may be forced to use an ignition interlock, which prevents a car from starting until the operator passes a breath test, according to Lacina. 

“Driving impaired is simply not worth all the consequences,” he said. “So don’t take the chance.”

Conducted with law enforcement agencies across the country, the crackdown will last through Sept. 5, a time span that includes the Labor Day weekend.