State Police Ready For Busy Thanksgiving Travel Week

ACROSS CONNECTICUT — Connecticut State Police Tuesday said they're ready to cope with one of the busiest Thanksgiving weeks in years.

And, in doing so, they're urging motorists to be careful because, if they stray away from lawful motoring, they will be caught.

“We ask that all drivers follow traffic laws and serve as an extra set of eyes on the highways. If you see an emergency on the road, please call 911,” said interim Colonel Daniel Loughman, commanding officer of the Connecticut 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 highways will be crowded.”

Police said they would be out in full force looking for drunk drivers, distracted drivers as well as overly aggressive drivers.

While police Tuesday didn't indicate any specific traffic checkpoints to weed out the driving scofflaws, they did say they will be out in sufficient numbers to keep roads safe.

They said "countless motor vehicle crashes in Connecticut" are caused by drunk, distracted and aggressive driving and officers are looking to prevent, rather tend to, such incidents.

One tool motorists can expect to see (or not see) is "non-traditional" patrol cars observing traffic and issuing tickets.

That means police will not just be utilizing traditional cruisers to keep an eye on things.

Meanwhile, police are looking for improved Thanksgiving weekend statistics from 2022, when there were 6,569 calls for service; 444 crashes; 265 speeding violations; 41 drunk driving arrests; and four fatalities.

"On state highways, troopers ask Connecticut residents to be part of the public safety solution by obeying traffic laws: don’t follow too closely to cars around yours; buckle up; drive the speed limit; and stay off your cell phone while driving," wrote Connecticut State Police Tuesday.

"If you plan to consume alcohol or use marijuana, please do not drive; designate a driver for everyone’s safety."

For the Connecticut State Police public information page, click on this link.