You may have noticed an uptick in law enforcement on the highways. That’s because the Mississippi Highway Patrol has kicked off its Christmas Holiday Travel period.
The period of a heightened presence of state troopers began Tuesday at 6 a.m. and will run through midnight on Friday. During what is expected to be a record-setting season for travel, troopers will boost their patrol efforts to keep everyone safe on the road.
Motorists can expect to see more high-visibility patrol units and safety checkpoints designed to ensure seat belt use and remove impaired drivers from Mississippi roadways.
“We at the Mississippi Department of Public Safety want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! This is one of the busiest travel times of the year, so please stay alert and travel safely,” Commissioner Sean Tindell said. “We are especially grateful to our first responders who are working nonstop this holiday season to keep our state and communities safe.”
Last holiday season, troopers responded to 172 crashes, with four fatalities, and made 54 DUI arrests across state and federal highways.