Additional police patrols for Labor Day weekend

During this Labor Day 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).

"As part of Operation C.A.R.E. and the statewide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over
drunk driving enforcement campaign, 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.  "In addition to looking for impaired
drivers, troopers will also pay special attention to safety belt and child restraint
violations and to those who are driving in a reckless and unsafe manner."

The official Labor Day weekend begins at 6 p.m., on Friday, Aug. 30, and ends at
11:59 p.m. on Monday, September 2, 2013.  Last year, eight traffic crashes resulted
in eight deaths over the Labor Day weekend.  Of those who died, four were not
wearing safety belts.

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.