Historically, the Thanksgiving Holiday travel is one of the busiest and deadliest holidays of the year. AAA estimates nearly 51 million travelers will journey 50 miles or more away from their home this Thanksgiving weekend. Thanks to increased consumer confidence and moderately low fuel prices, this year’s travel is projected to be the busiest since 2005. With 89% of travelers taking to the roadways, motorists may experience others exhibiting unsafe driving behaviors. In an effort to save lives and reduce injury-related crashes during the holiday season, the Kentucky State Police will be taking proactive measures to ensure traveling motorists arrive and return to their destination safely.
KSP troopers and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officers will concentrate their holiday enforcement efforts on high traffic areas such as interstates and parkways, along with high crash locations. They will be observing for individuals exhibiting unsafe driving behaviors, such as, speeding, reckless driving, and impaired driving.
This enforcement period will be highlighted by troopers and officers aggressively targeting those people who choose not to wear seatbelts or use child safety restraints.
Motorists around the Post 16 district can expect to see traffic safety checkpoints at pre-approved locations. KSP utilizes traffic safety checkpoints to promote safety for motorists and to provide a deterrent for those who violate laws contained in the Kentucky Revised Statutes.
The intent of a traffic safety checkpoint is to provide a highly visible, public safety service focusing on vehicular equipment deficiencies, confirming appropriate registration and insurance of vehicles, and the valid licensing of drivers. Violations or other public safety issues that arise shall be addressed.
These checkpoints will allow Kentucky State Police the opportunity to periodically concentrate its efforts in checking for violations of Kentucky traffic and regulatory laws that will ultimately increase the safety of the citizens within the Commonwealth.
For traffic safety checkpoint locations in your area, you may refer to the web site: kentuckystatepolice.org.
The official Thanksgiving Holiday begins Wednesday, November 22, 2017 at 6 p.m. and ends on Sunday, November 26, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. Statewide, during the 2016 Thanksgiving Holiday period, there were five total fatalities on Kentucky roadways. Four of the five involving alcohol. There were no fatalities reported in the Post 16 District during the 2016 Thanksgiving Holiday period.
Citizens can contribute to highway safety by calling KSP toll-free at: (1-800-222-5555). Citizens can call to confidentially report impaired drivers or any criminal activity. You may also download the free KSP mobile phone app. The app provides quick, direct access to KSP including weather, road and traffic information as well as text, voice and photo tip capabilities to report criminal behavior. The app is available for iPhone, iPad and Android applications and can be easily downloaded free of charge through Apple and Google Play stores.
Post 16 serves the following counties: Henderson, Daviess, Union, Hancock, Ohio and McLean.