Illinois State Police Troop 4 Commander Capt. Dustin Geier has announced the ISP will conduct Nighttime Enforcement patrols in Peoria, Knox and Fulton counties during November.

NITE patrols allow the ISP to focus on preventing, detecting, and taking enforcement action in response to impaired driving and occupant restraint violations, especially between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.

State Police note the number of unrestrained drivers killed in traffic crashes is significantly higher at night and combined with impaired driving means even more traffic deaths during these critical hours.

Officers working the enforcement patrols will be watching for motorists who show signs of impaired driving, improper seat-belt and child-restraint use, speeding, distracted driving, and other Illinois Vehicle Code violations.

Alcohol and drug impairment are estimated to be a factor in more than 47 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois. More half of all fatal crashes in Illinois occur at night. The NITE program allows officers to work at removing impaired drivers from the road and making sure everyone is buckled up.

The project is funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation.