By Alyssa Schnugg
Staff writer
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com
With a plethora of events happening in Oxford this Fourth of July holiday, local and state police officers said they will be out in force to make sure everyone can celebrate the nation’s birthday safely.
Oxford Police Department’s Capt. Hildon Sessums said there will be extra officers on duty throughout the day Wednesday, starting bright and early to help with traffic during the Stars and Stripes 5K Run.
“We want motorists who are out and about to pay extra attention to the road,” he said Monday.
OPD will be on hand during and after the annual Fourth of July Children’s Parade on the Square to help keep traffic off the parade route and get everyone moving when it ends.
The biggest challenge of the day for Oxford and University police officers will be after the fireworks show ends and droves of cars attempt to leave campus around 9:45 p.m.
But the day won’t end there.
State and local police officers will be watching the roads for those who shouldn’t be on them.
“We will be vigilant over the day watching for speeding, distracted, careless driving and making sure no one is driving impaired,” said OPD Chief Joey East. “Our goal is to make sure that everyone who is driving gets to and from their destination as safely as possible.”
Last year, there were no fatal wrecks in Lafayette County on the Fourth of July; however, three people lost their lives on other highways around Mississippi.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol will begin its holiday enforcement period tonight at midnight that will run through midnight on July 5.
Operation Crash Awareness and Reduction Effort will mean more troopers on state highways. In Oxford, that includes Highways 6, 7, 30, 314, 315, 328, 331, 328 and 334.
As part of Operation CARE, all available troopers will be assigned to saturation patrols to combat speeding and distracted driving issues. Safety checkpoints will also be established during the period to remove impaired drivers from the roadways and promote seat belt usage.
“We are asking motorists to have designated drivers in place regarding festivities and to join us in making the roadways safer in Mississippi,” said Mississippi Highway Patrol spokesman Capt. Johnny Poulos.
Troopers will also be enforcing a new law that went into effect on July 1 which makes it unlawful to continually drive in the farthest left lane on four-lane highways. The only time a driver should be in the left lane is when passing or the right lane is impassable, according to Poulos.
On July 4, 2017, MHP investigated 183 crashes with three fatalities and made 100 DUI arrests on state and federal highway systems.
