DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick is putting drivers on notice: starting Friday, Aug. 14, deputies will patrol local roads with what he called "zero tolerance for impaired driving" through the early morning hours of Sept. 8, covering the entire Labor Day weekend.

The 25-day campaign targets speeding, impaired driving, seat belt violations and other traffic infractions on roads throughout DuPage County, including those in and around Wheaton, Warrenville and West Chicago.

"We'll be patrolling with zero tolerance for impaired driving because our goal is to protect the people of DuPage County," Mendrick said in a statement released Monday, Aug. 10.

The effort is part of two statewide programs, "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" and "Click It or Ticket," funded by federal highway safety dollars administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation. More than 200 law enforcement agencies across Illinois are participating in the same push.

The campaign coincides with one of the deadliest stretches on Illinois roads. According to IDOT data, an average of nine to 15 people die on Illinois roads during the long Labor Day weekend, with 700 to 900 injuries. Roughly 35% of those fatalities involve a driver who had been drinking. The Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists reports that about 20% of fatal crashes statewide involve drugs, primarily cannabis.

Stakes are high.

The announcement follows an active summer for DuPage traffic enforcement. In early August, deputies cited 29 drivers for speeding and made 14 arrests during an earlier campaign.

Residents who spot dangerous driving can call the Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at 630-682-7256.