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Traffic Patrols Increase Over Holiday Weekend

SALEM, OR -- Law enforcement agencies all over Oregon are stepping up patrols for the New Year's holiday weekend. State Police Captain Kyle Kennedy tells KBND News, "We make it a priority on our holiday weekends to make sure we put out the best presence we can."

This weekend will be extra busy with holiday travelers returning home and football fans gathering to watch big games, "The college playoff games are going to be on Saturday, we’re coming into the last week of the NFL season and this is when people’s teams are playing their games. And, we want people to get together and have a good time with family," says Capt. Kennedy, "We just want them to make responsible choices and make sure they have a safe way to get home."

And, of course, there are the revelers going to and from New Year's Eve parties. It all combines for an increased risk on the road, "They partake in consuming alcohol and staying up late, and that leads us into seeing an increase, really, in DUIs, impaired driving, distracted driving, drowsy driving."

Kennedy says time of day changes what Troopers look for. At night, it's drunk and high drivers. But during the day, especially on such a busy weekend, he says driver distraction can be a big problem, "The law prohibits you from being on your electronic device, but there’s other things in your vehicle that can be a significant distraction, including conversations, reading through something, checking your mail - like your physical mail that you picked up. Those are all things that take our eyes off the road and then reduce our ability to react when something happens in front of us."

Kennedy has one main message for drivers this weekend: "Please use speed that’s appropriate for the conditions." He says speed is one of the biggest contributors to crashes, nationwide.


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