05/25/06                                     

                                                 CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE
                                                      2006  MEMORIAL DAY ENFORCEMENT

The Connecticut State Police will participate in the National C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) program over this Memorial Day Weekend.

The Operation C.A.R.E. holiday weekend will begin just after midnight on Friday May 26, 2006 and will continue through midnight Monday May 29th, 2006. Connecticut State Troopers are joining all New England State Police Departments concentrating on the enforcement of  the DUI and Safety Belt laws during the entire holiday weekend.

The Memorial Day Holiday is a celebration to honor our fallen military heroes, and it also is traditionally the symbolic start of the summer vacation season and other summer activities in Connecticut. It is estimated that 28.5 million people will travel the nation’s highways this Memorial Day weekend. Over 5 million people are expected to be traveling through Connecticut and the northeast.

Additional Connecticut State Troopers will be on patrol over the entire holiday weekend. Trooper One (State Police Aircraft) will fly patrols and monitor traffic from the sky. All available enforcement tools will be utilized to enhance highway safety. The “Click it to ticket Campaign, our first campaign of this summer season, is continuing. The goal of these State Police efforts is to rid the roads of aggressive and impaired drivers.

Troopers will concentrate enforcement on all hazardous moving violations. Many of these violations are the leading cause of traffic crashes and highway injuries.  Sobriety Check Points will be set up at various locations throughout the state over the weekend. 

During the 2005 Memorial Day Holiday Connecticut State Police arrested 82 people for DUI.

This year more State Troopers will be added to the normal compliment of patrol troopers during this busy holiday weekend. The goal of this operation is to enhance safety in the State of Connecticut.  Motorists are reminded to expect heavy traffic, exercise caution, and allow extra time to reach their destination.

Remember, obey all traffic laws, and pay attention to your speed, Don’t Drink and drive.  If you see a suspected drunk driver report it immediately.
The click word for all motorists and their passengers for the weekend should be, “BUCKLE UP, IT’S THE LAW”.

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Sgt. J. Paul Vance