Troopers to expand patrols of Alabama highways for Christmas and New Year's holiday weekends

MONTGOMERY, Al.
Alabama state troopers plan extra patrols over both the Christmas and New Year's holiday weekends, looking for speeders, drunks and people in too much of a hurry or too distracted to be on the roadways.
Grant money will be used to fund safety initiatives including extra patrols, sobriety checkpoints and speed detection. A Department of Public Safety statement this morning says troopers also will target other violations often cited as contributing to crashes, including following too closely, driver distraction and improper passing.
Col. Hugh B. McCall, director of the Alabama Department of Public Safety, said the state's highway patrol also will partner with municipal law enforcement and traffic safety agencies to "aggressively work to curtail impaired driving."
Funds for the extra enforcement effort come from grants provided by the Alabama Department of Transportation and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs' Law Enforcement/Traffic Safety Section, the DPS statement says.

The 78-hour Christmas travel period begins at 6 p.m. Friday and ends at midnight Monday, Dec. 26. In 2010, five people, including two pedestrians, died in traffic crashes on Alabama roadways during the Christmas travel period. Alcohol was a factor in at least one of these deaths, and two of the three vehicle occupants killed were not using seat belts.

The 78-hour New Year's travel period begins at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30, through midnight Monday, Jan. 2, 2012.  Last year, 14 people, including five pedestrians,   died in traffic crashes in the state during the 78-hour New Year's travel period. At least four of the deaths involved alcohol, and at least five vehicle occupants were not using seat belts.

"This is an exciting time of year, and we want you to really enjoy the holidays with your loved ones, but please make highway safety a priority," McCall said. "If your holiday celebrations include alcohol, designate a nondrinking driver or make other arrangements to be sure you - and others on the road - get home safely."