More State Police On Patrol During Thanksgiving Weekend
LANSING (WWJ) -- With the extended holiday weekend ahead, you can expect extra police patrols on Michigan roads as part of "Operation CARE."
State Police Captain Monica Yesh said that the blue patrol cars with the red gumballs won't be hard to find.
"We're going to be out there looking for people who are not wearing their safety belt, people who are aggressive driving, people who are distracted driving and we're going to be making traffic stops," Yesh said. "If that constitutes a ticket, then you'll get a ticket, if that constitutes being arrested for drunk driving, then we're going to do that too."
The Thanksgiving holiday period the second deadliest behind the Fourth of July, given the length, the potential for inclement weather and traffic volume. Yesh said that they are using a more light-hearted campaign for a serious issue.
"You have a lot of cars on the road, you have a lot of people not paying attention who are trying to get where they're going, they're distracted, they're speeding," Yesh said.
Yesh says contrary to what some may think, the main interest is not writing tickets, but raising awareness of these safety issues.
In 2013, there were 12 traffic fatalities during the Thanksgiving holiday -- a 30 percent increase from nine fatalities in 2012.