Thanksgiving is one of the busiest holidays for drivers getting home to families, and the Illinois State Police are urging safety above all else while on the roads.
State Trooper Jason Wilson reminds drivers that it is not a race to get to wherever you may be going.
“It’s not a race. When you get there, you win,” Wilson tells WGIL. “It doesn’t matter how long or how short, just as long as you get there safely, and there [are] no other problems, you win. So we need to… keep that in mind especially if we’re sharing the roadway with millions of other travelers throughout this holiday weekend.”
Wednesday is also an unofficial drinking holiday known as “Blackout Wednesday.”
The day is made popular with college kids coming home from school and celebrating with friends.
“A lot of college students that are coming back into town. [They’re getting] together with all their friends they haven’t seen for the last semester. They tend to, maybe, get a little out of hand. As we always say, we really don’t mind if you’re celebrating and having a good time. We just don’t want you to carry that over to the roadways.”
He recommends getting a designated driver, calling a cab, or a ride-share program – like Uber – to get home.
Wison says that during this weekend, ISP will have several specialized details which include roadside safety checks, speeding details and more throughout the state.
