SPRINGFIELD - The state is taking an upcoming advertising campaign to discourage drunken driving to the social networking Web site MySpace.

State records show the Illinois Department of Transportation plans to spend $683,000 on various television, Internet and billboard ads starting in mid-December and running just into the new year. The goal is to prevent drinking and driving around the holidays.

Among the various television stations set to host the ads, the state plans to spend $15,000 advertising with MySpace, Inc., according to records.

Department of Transportation spokeswoman Paris Ervin said the state is trying to target men ages 21 to 34 with both the television and Internet ads.

"We feel it's a very effective and efficient medium for this demographic," Ervin said.

The social networking sites sometimes come under scrutiny when people post photos of themselves consuming alcohol. Both MySpace and Facebook are consistently rated among the most visited Web sites in the country.

Now, the state also is running television ads featuring NASCAR drivers in order to encourage people to use their seat belts. Those run through Sunday and are being posted to Facebook.

mike.riopell@lee.net / (217) 789-0865