Drivers across Missouri and the rest of the country are hitting the road for Thanksgiving.
State troopers and local law enforcement are out in heavier numbers looking for speeders, aggressive and reckless drivers, and those driving drunk or high. Capt. Scott White with the Missouri State Highway Patrol said, though, it’s not just about enforcing the law.
“We’re going to be out there enforcing those traffic laws, making sure that people are paying attention, driving sober, and wearing those seat belts,” White told Missourinet. “But we’re also available there to assist the public – if anyone runs out of gas or has a flat tire, that’s part of our mission, also.”
During last year’s counting period, there were 1,342 traffic crashes in Missouri, in which nine people died and 483 were injured.
“We understand that those are statistics, but we have to remember that those are nine families that this year during Thanksgiving, that they don’t have those loved ones with them,” White said.
White, who works as the Patrol’s Public Information Officer, will be patroling the roads as well.
“Yeah, we’re going to head out,” he said. “(Wednesday) is what we call a peak travel day, and we’ll be headed out on the highways.”
The Thanksgiving holiday period runs from 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27th, through 11:59 PM on Sunday, Dec. 1st.
Copyright © 2024 · Missourinet