State Police Focus on Safe Driving Enforcement for New Year's

The annual effort by the Connecticut State Police "Stop Another Needless Traffic Accident", or Operation SANTA, normally runs from Christmas Eve through midnight on Dec. 27. This year it had to be ended prematurely – the concentrated effort ceased at 10 a.m. Dec. 26 – when winds began to gust and snow began to fall in the region's first winter storm for the 2010-11 season.

Lt. J. Paul Vance, spokesman for the state police, said although the seasonal effort is essential, it was vital that available patrols be redeployed to supplement the existing patrol force to better manage the increasing amount of storm related emergencies.

Despite this, troopers originally assigned to the operation did have some success in preventing a potential tragedy.

Troopers from the Troop C barracks in Tolland responded to 283 calls for service and eight accidents. They arrested two people for drinking related offenses and issued 16 speeding tickets. The troopers did not have to issue a ticket for a seatbelt violation, but did hand out 11 tickets for hazardous moving violations, such as following too close.

Troopers assigned to the Troop H barracks in Hartford responded to 186 calls for service and 21 accidents. They arrested four people for drinking related offenses and issued 16 speeding tickets. The troopers also wrote two tickets for seatbelt violations and 27 tickets for hazardous moving violations, such as following too close.

With Operation SANTA behind them, troopers throughout the state are now focused on the coming New Year's weekend festivities.

Vance said this holiday is "very worrisome" because for many, the celebratory time includes the consumption of alcohol.

"We're raising our level of concentration. There will be the normal patrols but there will be an additional effort to keep people off the roads who have consumed alcohol," Vance said.

During last year's effort, troopers responded to 475 crashes, including two fatal accidents, and arrested 49 drunk drivers, Vance said. The effort also resulted in 679 speeding tickets, 69 seatbelt violations and tickets or warnings for 1,295 other types of hazardous moving violations, such as an unsafe lane change, according to a news release.

For this year's effort, the troopers will have enhanced patrols in both marked and unmarked vehicles along highways and roads throughout the state this weekend, starting tonight. Troopers will also use a variety of tools, including sobriety checkpoints, to "locate, test and arrest intoxicated drivers," Vance said.

For a list of checkpoint areas, or to find out where troopers will be click here.

As a reminder, Vance said anyone who suspects that someone is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs should call 911 and report the person to police.