The Lake County Sheriff’s Office made three DUI arrests during the recent St. Patrick’s Day traffic safety effort. A total of 68 traffic citations were issued, including 25 seat belt citations, two illegal transportation of alcohol citations, three driving while license suspended citations, and two drug possession charges.

Impaired driving causes tragedies year-round. According to the latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 10,265 people died in impaired driving crashes on our nation’s roadways in 2015.

“DUI arrests are very preventable,” said Sheriff Mark Curran. “Don’t ever get behind the wheel when impaired by alcohol, drugs or both. It takes everyone doing their part to make ‘Zero Fatalities a Reality’ in Illinois.”

Undersheriff Ray Rose added, “We take traffic safety very seriously. Too many lives are lost every year due to impaired driving. You’ll continue seeing deputies out on the streets keeping the motoring public safe.”

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office joined forces with other state, local, and highway safety partners in the St. Patrick’s Day “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.

The enforcement effort was funded by federal traffic safety funds through the Illinois Department of Transportation and is part of the statewide “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket” campaigns.