Increased police patrols for holiday weekend

LANSING. During this Fourth of July holiday weekend, the Michigan State Police (MSP) is reminding motorists to make safety a priority during their holiday travel. Again this year, MSP troopers will join their counterparts from across the country in the international traffic safety initiative, Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort).

“Our goal is to prevent traffic crashes that lead to serious injuries and fatalities and troopers will take a zero-tolerance approach to drivers who are operating under the influence of alcohol and drugs,” stated Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue, director of the MSP. “Troopers will also pay special attention to motorists who are not using proper restraints.”

The official Fourth of July holiday weekend begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 4, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, July 7.

Last year, four fatal traffic crashes resulted in four deaths over the Fourth of July weekend. Of those who died, three were not using restraints.

Operation C.A.R.E. was formed to deter three causes of highway fatalities: aggressive driving, impaired driving and failure to use occupant restraints.

Operation C.A.R.E. began in 1977 as a collaborative effort between the MSP and the Indiana State Police and is one of the nation’s longest-running traffic safety initiatives. Today, it includes state police and highway patrol agencies from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Quebec Police Force and the U.S. Virgin Islands.