The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that every day, around 32 people throughout the United States will die in an alcohol-related crash. What that means is that one person will die every 44 minutes because of drunk driving. In 2024, for example, there were 11,904 people who lost their lives as a result of alcohol-impaired driving accidents. Each one of these deadly crashes was preventable.
With alcohol-related crashes happening so frequently and causing such vast destruction, severe injuries, and death, the question becomes: What can be done to reduce these incidents from even taking place to begin with?
In Illinois, the Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) is being used to combat impaired driving and other dangerous driving behaviors. The program is designed to provide federal funding to local law enforcement agencies so that they can increase traffic enforcement. This takes some of the financial burdens that such efforts cost off the backs of local governments.
A fair assessment of the effectiveness of STEP reveals that there is evidence that additional police presence and activity can reduce impaired driving crashes. That being said, the research that exists has important limitations.
If you were arrested for a DUI in Illinois, you do not have to face the legal challenges alone. Having an experienced attorney representing you can improve your chances of securing the best possible outcome. The Schaumburg DUI defense lawyers at Glasgow & Olsson have the background you want on your side to defend you against the most serious and consequential penalties.
What Does The Research Show?
In 2025, a study was done that examined Illinois’ STEP program and its impact on traffic crashes. Researchers analyzed county-level data to see if STEP participation and the associated grants were affecting car accidents in the state, including alcohol related incidents.
The study concluded that counties that had law enforcement agencies that participated in STEP did have lower rates of fatal, severe-injury, and impaired-driving crashes versus other counties that did not do STEP. Therefore, the findings support the proposition that targeted, high-visibility enforcement can improve roadway safety.
While the research, thus far, seems promising in terms of the benefits of STEP, it is important to note that the study was based on observational data, not randomized experiments. In other words, what the research does is it creates an association between STEP participation and lower crash rates. What it does not do is definitively establish that STEP alone is the reason for a reduction in crashes.
Get Qualified Legal Help Today
When facing a DUI charge, the quality of your legal representation can shape the course of your life. At Glasgow & Olsson, we don’t just practice DUI defense—we help define it.
Thomas Glasgow is widely recognized as a leading authority on DUI law in Illinois. He lectures statewide for the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, contributes to the definitive DUI legal manual used by attorneys across the state, and is a trusted legal voice on major networks including ABC, CNN, NBC, CBS, and Fox News.
When your freedom, reputation, and future are on the line, experience, judgment, and respect matter most.
Speak with our Chicago DUI defense team today and learn how decades of trusted experience can protect what matters most to you.