Driving safety urged during holidays

Alabama State Troopers will make every effort this Christmas season to protect the lives and promote the safety of Alabama motorists through additional enforcement activities.

“It is one of the busiest and most exciting times of year, and that seasonal hustle and bustle is evident on the state’s roadways as many of us will travel more between now and New Year’s,” said Col. Hugh B. McCall, director of the Alabama Department of Public Safety and the state’s highest-ranking trooper.

“We all must make safety a priority, no matter how rushed we feel.”

To prevent crashes, injuries and fatalities, Public Safety will step up efforts to include extra patrols, sobriety checkpoints, line patrols and LIDAR speed detection.

Troopers also will focus on violations that often contribute to crashes, including speeding, following too closely, driver distraction and improper passing.

These additional enforcement activities will be made possible through grant funding from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and the Alabama Department of Transportation.

In addition, troopers will be available to assist motorists and can be reached via cell phone at *HP (*47), which will direct motorists to the nearest Highway Patrol post.

Troopers also will partner with law enforcement and traffic safety agencies throughout the state and nation to aggressively work to curtail impaired driving.

“If your seasonal celebrations will include alcohol, please take a moment to designate a non-drinking driver or to make other arrangements to be sure you – and others on the road – arrive safely to your destination,” McCall said.

Public Safety’s special enforcement period will begin at 12:01 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20, and will end at midnight Thursday, Jan. 2.