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State Highway Fatalities Down Again in 2008
The state transportation department says traffic safety numbers in Illinois are improving.

State and federal officials are welcoming word of a drop in highway fatalities in Illinois - from 1,248 in 2007 to 1,042 last year. Illinois State Police Director Jonathon Monken and IDOT Secretary Gary Hannig say the credit should go to the people who enforce the laws.

Hannig says one aspect that's helped is the state taking drunken driving more seriously over the past several years.

"It used to be that a DUI was essentially treated like a traffic violation, you paid a fine and off you went. We've made it clear to people who are convicted of driving under the influence that there will be very serious consequences: you'll lose your driver's license for a period of time and (it) will become difficult for you to get that driver's license back."

Monken says educating motorists, safer roads through engineering, increased patrols and improved medical techniques also contributed to the reduction in fatalities on the state's highways.

Hannig and Monken made the comments recently during a statewide safety conference in Springfield called "Staying Alive."
04 19 09 by Newsroom
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