Highway Patrol Out in Force for Thanksgiving Weekend

The long Thanksgiving Day weekend is getting underway, and a lot of Missourians are traveling to and from their favorite holiday destinations. The State Highway Patrol is keeping a close watch on the roads today and throughout the weekend. Captain Tim Hull says a lot of the accidents we see on the roads can be blamed on inattention and, of course, alcohol. Hull says all members of the Highway Patrol, except those on extended vacations, will be on duty at least part of the Thanksgiving weekend. The Highway Patrol’s holiday counting period for crashes runs from 6 o’clock Wednesday night through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday. 19 people lost their lives and 676 were injured in 1,669 traffic crashes on Missouri’s roads during last year’s Thanksgiving weekend.