The Orland Park Police Department will be performing extra roadside safety checks in the hope of lessening vehicle-related accidents and deaths during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Checks will occur on the "most deadly times of day and night for motor vehicle fatalities," according to a release from the police department. The enforcement will focus on intoxicated and impaired drivers, and drivers and passengers who are not wearing seat belts.

The Illinois Department of Transportation provides funding through the Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) for the added safety checks around Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years', St. Patrick's Day, Memorial Day, July 4^th and Labor Day.  While the enforcement ties into holidays, IDOT's case for the added enforcement stems from data taken from fatal accidents over the course of three years.

IDOT claims that from 2005 to 2008, 1492 traffic accidents resulted in deaths, where at least one driver was intoxicated or seat belts were not worn, between the hours of 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.

Along with impaired driving and seat belt use, the saturation patrols will also be looking for cell phone use in school zones and drivers who are texting while driving, according to the police department's release.

The checks are scheduled to run through Sunday.