NH Police Out In Force Labor Day Weekend

A total of 71 people have been killed on New Hampshire roads so far this year, which is a number the state would like to bring down to zero.

The NH State Police and Department of Transportation held a press conference on Friday to ask for the public’s help as they ramp up their efforts to keep the roads safe this Labor Day Weekend.

Highway safety coordinator Matt Shapiro said that every available officer will be on patrol for the long weekend on both the roads and in the sky. Multiple sobriety checkpoints are being set up to deter intoxicated driving, as well as a sharper focus on catching distracted drivers.

The state police and NH DOT are working together to not only make sure drivers have a safe holiday weekend, but to continue their efforts to reduce accidents through data analysis. They hope to find better ways to allocate resources and prevent the causes of accidents through data collected across the state. These efforts are all a part of the state’s Driving Toward Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate highway fatalities.

Fatalities may be historically low, but they are still up from last year.

Col. Robert Quinn said that the majority of accidents are caused by speed, distraction and driving while under the influence. There have been a spike in accidents in the past three weeks, and the number of motorcycle accidents has been troubling. A total of 19 motorcycle riders have been killed so far this year.

Lelaceur also wants to remind citizens that driving while under the influence of marijuana and certain prescription drugs is just as dangerous as driving after drinking alcohol.

State officials also want drivers to keep pedestrians in mind when they are on the road, with six pedestrians killed so far this year from accidents. 

Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, Chris Clement, urged drivers need to take their time, put their devices away while on the road and avoid operating under the influence this weekend.

"Our goal is to drive towards zero, but we need your help," he said.