Illinois and Iowa authorities increase enforcement against impaired driving

Law enforcement agencies in Illinois and Iowa are issuing safety warnings and increasing enforcement to combat impaired driving and boating under the influence (BUI) during the late summer season.

In Illinois, the Liquor Control Commission is urging boaters to avoid BUI, noting that operating a vessel with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or higher, or while under the influence of drugs, is illegal. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources reported 72 boating-related arrests for operating under the influence in 2025, with seven of the 12 boating fatalities involving alcohol or drug impairment.

In Iowa, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau is partnering with law enforcement for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ project. Running from August 19 to September 7, the initiative features increased officer presence to identify and stop drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs. This follows data showing that one third of the 36 roadway fatalities in Iowa during the final four weeks of last summer were caused by impaired driving.