By IRN/Will Stevenson

BLOOMINGTON – The message is the same for this holiday weekend as it has been for others: “Drive Sober, or Get Pulled Over.” But, that’s not the only driving problem continuing to plague law enforcement.

In addition to the federally-funded drunk driving crackdown by State and Local Police which also will include making sure everyone in the vehicle has their seat belts on throughout the weekend, state police say they’ll also look for distracted driving violations. You know…like when you use your cell phone while driving.

“It’s been a law now for over a year now that you have to be hands-free,” says Illinois State Police Lieutenant Darin Clark.  “Unfortunately, society has become too reliant on technology today,and they just don’t understand the importance of focusing on the driving.”

Clark says “hands free” does not mean using your cell phone on “speaker” mode.

The message of not driving while drunk is just as important.

“‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ is not about making arrests,” says Rich Brauer, Assistant Secretary, Illinois Department of Transportation  “It’s about arrests that never have to be made because people made the choice not to drive under the influence.”