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More than 35 million people are expected to be traveling across the country this weekend, with the vast majority of them traveling by car. State police are reminding drivers to: expect heavy traffic, exercise caution, allow extra time to reach their destinations, don't text and drive, set GPS locations before leaving, and use hands-free devices when talking on your phone.
Troopers will be out in full force between Friday, Sept. 1 and Tuesday, Sept. 5 to crack down on dangerous driving behaviors. State police will utilize both traditional and nontraditional state police vehicles on roads, search for reckless and intoxicated drivers. Troopers will set up sobriety checkpoints, increase roving patrols, and utilize the state police Breath Alcohol Testing Mobile Unit (BAT Mobile).
State police are being extra vigilant into next week as more than half a million children will be returning to school across the state. All drivers should be on the lookout for pedestrians during the before and after school hours. Police said the afternoon hours are particularly dangerous for walking students, and that over the last decade, nearly one third of all child pedestrian fatalities across the country have occurred between 3 and 7 p.m.
Police are asking anyone who consumes alcohol to never get behind the wheel, and to establish a designated driver before the holiday weekend activities begin. If you see a suspected drunk driver, or a hazardous driver, you should call 911.
During last year's Labor Day weekend, state police issued 1,699 tickets for speeding, 165 for seatbelt violations, 3,552 tickets for moving violations, and made 51 arrests for driving under the influence. There were 283 motor vehicle crashes, including 43 with injury, but no fatal accidents.
Click here for a list of DUI checkpoints and roving patrols.
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