UPDATED STATS

                                                                      THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

11/27/06

As Connecticut residents celebrated the Thanksgiving Holiday with family and friends the Connecticut State Police implemented enhanced enforcement and visibility on all of our highways and roads in Connecticut. Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) as an intricate part of the highway safety plan.

Thanksgiving is one of the heaviest traveled holidays of all. Traditionally, Thanksgiving also is the start of the Christmas season. The Connecticut State Police experienced the heaviest traffic periods on Wednesday afternoon, Friday all day and Sunday afternoon into the evening.   

Troopers were on patrol in both marked and unmarked patrol cars. They also utilized non-traditional patrol cars, aircraft, radar, and laser units to monitor and enforce speeds.  Sobriety checkpoints and roving DUI patrols were in place to add to the public safety and remove drunk drivers from our highways and roads in Connecticut. Hazardous moving violations do cause crashes. Troopers have been diligent in watching for and enforcing hazardous moving violations, such as unsafe lane changes, following too close, and speeding.

AS the holiday enforcement continues remember, drunk driving mixed with high traffic volume is a recipe for disaster.                                            2006 ARREST TOTALS TO DATE

FROM MIDNIGHT 11/22/06  to  11/26/06                                   Total Accidents_488__

Total SPEEDING ARRESTS  _1397__                                        with injury_71____

Total SEAT BELT ARRESTS_554__                                           FATALS__0___

Total DWI ARRESTS__60___

LAST YEAR final stats-- 54 DUI, 559 accidents 2 fatals, 1321 Speeding arrests, 214 seatbelt arrests.

The Thanksgiving enforcement project continued through Sunday evening.  Troopers encountered a much higher than normal volumne of traffic during this holiday weekend.

Operation S.A.N.T.A. ( STOP ANOTHER NEEDELSS TRAGIC ACCIDENT ) will continue right through  New Years 2007. 

Connecticut State Troopers will supplement patrols set up sobriety checkpoints and strictly enforce all hazardous moving violations. 

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Lt. J. Paul Vance