Thanksgiving Weekend Traffic Enforcement, What CT Motorists Need To Know

CONNECTICUT — Connecticut State Police Tuesday said, for now, no DUI checkpoints are being scheduled in accordance with the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

But that doesn't mean folks can say "bottoms up" and "let's go."

The police will see you and, law enforcement officials said, they will pull you over.

Monday, state police unveiled their tentative plans for enforcement during the busy travel weekend — with safety the major priority.

Police said officers will be utilizing "traditional and non-traditional patrol cars" to observe traffic and issue tickets to "reckless and distracted drivers."

It means you might not know that the vehicle near you is a police officer.

"As family and friends gather this week for the Thanksgiving holiday, CT State Troopers remind residents that there will be many more vehicles on state roads in the next seven days," the department wrote Monday.

"State police are ramping up plans to keep highways safe for everyone during this holiday rush."
The major traffic enforcement initiative kicks off at 12 a.m. midnight on Wednesday, Nov. 23, and continues to Sunday night at 11:59 p.m., Nov. 27."

In addition to regular state police patrols, Connecticut state police said they will be utilizing additional troopers to maintain law and order on the roadways.

"Troopers will patrol roads and highways across Connecticut focusing on aggressive drivers, unsafe drivers and drunk drivers," wrote police. "These violations are causes of countless motor vehicle crashes in Connectiut and troopers are committed to preventive enforcement in order to avoid wrecks."

Police also offered up some general travel tips to make holiday journeys less stressful and, hopefully, more safer.

They include:

• Check with your airlines to make sure flights are on time, such as at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks.

• Pickup and drop-off at terminals can be hectic and police warn that travelers shouldn't wait there as that can cause congestion and unsafe situations. Don't leave vehicles unattended.

Bradley has a free, "Cell Phone Parking Lot," where those picking up or dropping off travelers can safely wait and monitor times on their phones.

For directions to this lot, click on this link.

• As for motorists, they should always obey basic traffic laws: don't follow too closely; buckle up; drive the speed limit; and stay off the cell phone while driving.

• Police said anyone planning to consume alcohol should never drive. Designate a driver for "everyone's safety."

“We ask that all drivers remember and follow traffic laws. Please be our extra set of eyes on the highways and call 911 if you spot an emergency,” said 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.”

And, police said, if you think someone is driving drunk, call 911 as "this is a true emergency."

Tuesday, the Connecticut Department of Transportation, in conjunction with state and local police department, announced the resumption of the annual "Click It or Ticket" national campaign urging seat belt use.

The DOT said the national seat belt campaign, aimed at enforcing seat belt use, begins Wednesday, Nov. 23 and runs through Wednesday, Nov. 3o.

“Whether someone is driving down the street or across the state to a Thanksgiving Day football game or turkey dinner, it’s critical that drivers and passengers buckle up,” Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph Giulietti said. “Buckling your seat belt isn’t only safe, it’s the law.”

According to the DOT, preliminary data for 2021 shows 144 Connecticut residents lost their lives because they were not wearing seat belts.

State officials said the current seat belt compliance rate is 92.1 percent, up from 91.5 percent in 2021.

As family celebrations continue to move away from the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic, state police are hoping to see a reduction in accidents from past years.

In 2019, prior to the pandemic, state police investigated 593 accidents over the holiday weekend with two fatalities.

Then, in 2020 — the height of the pandemic and prior to vaccines — only 385 accidents were investigated as most folks celebrated from home and virtually with family, but seven people died.

A year later, in 2021, fatalities shrunk to one, but accidents jumped back up to 543, according to statistics released by police this week.

For more information on seat belt use, click on this link.