Thanksgiving holiday traffic enforcement stepped up through Sunday

During the Thanksgiving weekend, the Michigan State Police (MSP) is reminding motorists to make safety a priority during their holiday travel. 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. troopers will take a zero-tolerance approach to drivers who are operating under the influence or driving in a reckless and unsafe manner,” stated Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue, director of the MSP. “In addition to looking for impaired drivers, troopers will also pay special attention to unbuckled motorists.”

The official Thanksgiving holiday weekend begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday. Last year, nine fatal traffic crashes resulted in nine deaths over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Of those who died, three were not wearing safety belts and alcohol use was a known factor in four of the crashes.

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 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.