Police Cracking Down On One Specific Infraction On Busy Illinois Expressways

You shouldn't be doing this anyway.

If you're planning on driving through busy Chicagoland or Eastern Illinois expressways anytime the rest of this year, you should prepare yourself now.

We know about police cracking down on DUI's, especially around holidays like July 4th and New Year's. We know they lurk under bridges or pull-offs during the holiday traffic season watching for speeders or those texting while driving.

And now the Cook County Sheriff's Office has announced that one specific, very common infraction isn't going unnoticed this time.

And that's riding the shoulder.

Authorities (and common sense) say driving in the shoulder is dangerous and can catch other drivers by surprise. They say that the move can lead to "devastating accidents" (this also includes motorcyclists, for the record)

According to NBC Chicago, the sheriff's office will be doing countywide patrols (also focused on speeding) from Sept. 25th-30th.

It sounds like a short campaign but remember, law enforcement agencies are out more during Thanksgiving and Christmas travel seasons. They're looking out for speeders but also aggressive driving. Last year, for Thanksgiving, Illinois' increased patrols were out until Dec. 2nd. For Christmas, patrols were increased from Dec. 13th-Jan. 2nd.

I know all too well sitting stand-still in traffic while you're trying to get home for the holidays or on a time crunch absolutely stinks. But the last thing you need on top of it is a fine or trouble so let's all take a deep breath and wait.

The increased patrols in Illinois are thanks to a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation.