The Park Forest Police Department wrapped up its Thanksgiving-holiday traffic safety campaign after a two-week enforcement period that ran from Nov. 21 to Dec. 2. During that time, officers logged an additional 32 hours of duty — and the numbers reflect a busy stretch. The department recorded 54 traffic stops and issued a total of 67 citations. Among those: 10 seat belt violations, one child-seat violation, 11 speeding violations (including one aggravated speeding offense), three distracted-driving citations, and 42 other violations. Officers made two driver’s-license–violation arrests, one DUI arrest, and issued one additional arrest — all part of an intensified effort to crack down on dangerous driving around the holiday.

“Safety on our roads matters every day, but especially during heavy travel periods like Thanksgiving,” said Deputy Chief Kristopher Vallow. “These extra enforcement hours and the citations issued reflect our commitment to keep Park Forest motorists and their families safe.”

The timing could not be more urgent. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, last year’s Thanksgiving period saw 2,784 statewide crashes that resulted in 15 fatalities — one attributed to an impaired driver. The state’s broader safety data show that nearly one-third of all Illinois traffic fatalities involve impaired driving. 

Statewide campaigns such as Click It or Ticket and Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over — often coordinated by IDOT and local police agencies — have long emphasized seat-belt enforcement, speeding, distraction, and impaired-driving patrols during the holidays. 

Looking ahead, the Park Forest Police plan to pivot the next campaign, scheduled for Dec. 12 through Jan. 5, 2026, toward occupant-protection enforcement and impaired driving. Vallow said the department will maintain “zero tolerance” for infractions that put public safety at risk.

“The goal is simple — make sure every driver arriving in Park Forest drives home safely, every time,” Vallow said.