If you drive on the Illinois side of the Quad Cities, you'll want to be especially alert during the month of October.

According to WQAD, Illinois State Police will be ramping up nightime patrols next month in an effort to catch impaired drivers and seatbelt violations.

The extra patrols will occur between 9 PM and 6 AM, when drivers are more likely to be impaired.

-Press release from Rock Island County ISP

Officers will be focusing on safety belt and child restraint use, distracted driving, speeding, and driving under the influence. The press release from the ISP specifically emphasized the importance of seat belt use, as half of traffic fatalities result from occupants not wearing their safety belt.

You know what this means, Quad Cities. You may have gotten away with impaired driving in the past, but get rid of those bad habits, buckle your seatbelt, and stay safe this fall.

More From US 104.9