CT State Troopers Prepare for Thanksgiving Holiday Travel & Road Safety

Tens of thousands of travelers will be driving through Connecticut during the week of Thanksgiving and State Police are ramping up their plans to keep highways safe for everyone during the holiday rush.

View roving patrol schedule here.

Beginning on Wednesday, November 27, 2019, at 00:01 a.m. and running through Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, at 11:59 p.m., Connecticut State Police will supplement its normal routine patrol personnel with additional Troopers throughout the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Across the state, Troopers will patrol roads and highways across Connecticut focusing on aggressive drivers, unsafe drivers and drunk drivers. All of these violations are causes of motor vehicle crashes in Connecticut and Troopers are dedicated to preventive enforcement in order to avoid wrecks.

The air space will also be very crowded, as relatives and friends fly in and out of Bradley International Airport. Extra Troopers will be on duty there, ensuring safety as passengers dash in and out of the airport. It is always recommended that you check with the airlines to see if flights are on time to avoid waiting around the terminal.

Connecticut residents are asked to be a part of the public safety solution by obeying traffic laws: don’t follow too closely to cars around you, buckle up, drive the speed limit, stay off your cell phone while driving. If you plan to consume alcohol, please do not drive; designate a driver for everyone’s safety.

“We rely on the motoring public to obey all traffic laws and to be an extra set of eyes and ears on Connecticut roads,” noted Colonel Stavros Mellekas, commanding officer of the State Police. “During this very busy long holiday weekend, please take the time to arrive at your destination safely. Check traffic and weather reports before you leave home and be patient as the roads will be filled with other drivers.”

Patrol Troopers will use traditional and non-traditional patrol cars to observe traffic and issue tickets to reckless and distracted drivers. A reminder to all drivers: anyone who is consuming alcohol should never get behind the wheel.

If you see a suspected drunk driver or a suspected reckless driver, please call 911, as this is a true emergency.

During the 2018 Thanksgiving weekend, State Police responded to the following:

Speeding violations: 573
            Seatbelt violations: 291
            Other hazardous violations: 1,965
            (to include unsafe lane change, following too closely, cell phone usage, texting, failure to signal, etc.)

DUI arrests: 25
            Accidents investigated: 573
                        with injury: 60
                        with fatalities: 2

See attached for Roving Patrols and DUI Spot Checks that are planned.

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Submitted by New Milford, CT

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