11/27/2025
Turkey, traffic and ‘Click It or Ticket,’ buckle up and drive sober this Thanksgiving
Free ride credits available to help get you home safe and sound
SPRINGFIELD – With one of the busiest travel periods of the year arriving this week with Thanksgiving, the Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police and law enforcement agencies throughout the state are ramping up patrols and reminding the public to buckle up and drive sober. Hundreds of enforcement zones and other patrols will be looking for seat belt-law violators and impaired drivers through Dec. 2.
“Illinois law is clear: Driving under the influence – whether from alcohol or cannabis – is illegal and dangerous,” said Stephane B. Seck-Birhame, bureau chief of Safety Programs and Engineering at IDOT. “But that’s only part of the story. Buckling up is your best defense in a crash. This Thanksgiving, we’re asking everyone to ‘Click It or Ticket’ and to plan a sober ride.
A DUI means license suspension, fines, mandatory court costs and potential jail time. Plan ahead so your holiday doesn’t end on the side of the road, in jail or worse. During the Thanksgiving holiday period last year, IDOT reported 2,784 crashes, including 15 people killed. One of the crashes involved an impaired driver.
To make it easier to choose a sober ride this Thanksgiving, the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists, Lyft, the Governors Highway Safety Association and IDOT are offering $20 ride credits through Lyft during the Thanksgiving Safe Ride program, from 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30. Illinois residents can claim a Lyft Safe Ride code by visiting www.aaim1.org or by following AAIM on Facebook and LinkedIn. Credits are valid for rides throughout Illinois during active campaign hours and will be released in limited daily batches on a first-come, first-served basis through Sunday, Nov. 30.
“Troopers handle crashes all day, every day, involving impaired drivers and people not wearing a seat belt,” said ISP Division of Patrol Col. Chris Owen. “Deciding to drive while impaired or not wearing a seat belt is a decision that takes only a second to make but can have lifelong consequences. This holiday, make the simple, smart choice to drive sober and buckle up. You, your friends and family will be thankful you did.”
Impairment isn’t limited to alcohol. Cannabis and other drugs affect reaction time, coordination and decision-making. If you feel different, you drive differently.
Make it a safe holiday with this quick checklist:
Click it – wear a seat belt in every seat, every trip. Make sure kids are in the proper car seats or booster seats.
Plan a sober ride before you celebrate through a designated driver, taxi, public transit or rideshare.
If you use cannabis, do not drive – remember delayed effects can increase impairment later in the night.
Put the phone away. Let passengers handle navigation and texts.
Give yourself extra time and space. Expect heavy traffic and potential winter weather.
See an impaired driver? Safely pull over and call 911.
The increased traffic enforcement is made possible through federal funds administered by IDOT and supported by ISP and local law enforcement. The effort coincides with IDOT’s “It’s Not a Game” radio, digital and TV campaign, which reminds the public of the consequences of impaired driving as well as distracted driving, work zone safety, pedestrian safety, motorcycle awareness and occupant safety. Visit www.itsnotagameillinois.com for more information.
There are no extra lives, no respawns, and no second chances to get it right. Drive sober or get pulled over.
