MHP to ‘Intensely’ Enforce Safe Travel Over New Year Weekend

The Mississippi Highway Patrol will intensify enforcement efforts for the 2021-2022 New Years Holiday Travel Period, which will begin on Thursday at 6 a.m. and conclude on Sunday at midnight.

All available Troopers will be called into service to promote safe travel with a particular emphasis placed on high visibility.

The enforcement of speeding, seatbelt, distracted and impaired driving laws, along with the use of safety checkpoints, will be utilized to reduce crashes this Holiday Period.

During the 2020-2021 New Years Travel Enforcement Period, MHP investigated 158 crashes with three fatalities and made 184 DUI arrests on state and federal highway systems.

“The New Year 2022 is fast approaching, and the Mississippi Highway Patrol is committed to stepping up enforcement efforts during this holiday period,” said Lt. Colonel Malachi Sanders. “We will do our part, and we ask the public to do theirs by wearing a seatbelt and driving carefully so we can bring in 2022 safely.”

Here are some tips from MDOT that can help motorists arrive at their destination safely: 

• If you drink alcohol or are otherwise impaired, do not get behind the wheel for any reason. Make sure you have a designated driver or a taxi to take you home.
• Hand your keys over to a trusted friend or family member at the beginning of the night before the first drink. This removes any temptations of thinking you are okay to drive.
• Avoid all distractions. Concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
• Be aware of other drivers. Don’t assume everyone is driving as safely as you are.
• Impaired drivers are not only a danger to themselves but also to other innocent people on the road. If you suspect someone is driving impaired, call the police when it is safe to do so.

For more tips on traveling safely this holiday season, visit GoMDOT.com/drivesmartms.

Staff report