STATE TROOPERS PREPARE FOR MEMORIAL DAY, SUMMER TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT

Middletown, CT. (May 23, 2018): Connecticut State Troopers are preparing for increased traffic during this Memorial Day weekend, and summer 2018 celebrations and vacations.

 State Troopers ask all drivers to utilize courteous driving skills, plan for traffic delays and make safety their top priority whenever they get behind the wheel. These actions will ensure safe travel to and from destinations.

Some safety tips – and laws – to remember: buckle up, obey speed limits, don’t follow too close, remove distractions while driving, stay off the cellphone, and never drink and drive.

State Troopers will use laser units for speed enforcement, as well as marked, and unmarked, non-traditional police vehicles to patrol our highways and roadways.  

Good driving skills and patience are essential to avoiding tragedies on Connecticut’s highways. The enforcement efforts of our Troopers – along with drivers who follow state law – are vital to maintaining danger-free roads for drivers and passengers.

As part of its efforts, the Connecticut State Police will participate in the National C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) program over this Memorial Day Weekend. The goal of this operation is to join state police agencies across the country to enhance safety in all states. Motorists are reminded to expect heavy traffic, exercise caution and allow extra time to reach their destination. 

The Operation C.A.R.E. holiday weekend will begin on Friday, May 25, 2018, and will continue through Monday, May 28, 2018.  Connecticut State Troopers are joining all state police agencies across the country, concentrating on enforcement of DUI and safety belt laws during the entire holiday weekend.

Troopers will also enforce all hazardous moving violations, seatbelt use and illegal cell phone use. Sobriety checkpoints will be set up at several locations throughout the state over the holiday weekend.

Again, troopers ask all motorists to obey all traffic laws, pay attention to your speed, and if you plan to consume alcohol please designate a driver. If you see a suspected drunk driver report it immediately by calling 911, as this is a true emergency.

As a reminder, please remember, and obey, the Move Over Law when traveling this weekend, throughout the summer, and always. The Move Over Law requires “any operator of a motor vehicle on a highway when approaching emergency vehicle/s that are stationary OR traveling significantly below the posted speed limit AND non-emergency vehicle/s that are stationary and located on the shoulder, lane or breakdown lane of such highway shall (1) immediately reduce speed to a reasonable level below the posted speed limit, and (2) if traveling in the lane adjacent to the shoulder, lane or breakdown lane containing such emergency vehicle or non-emergency vehicle, move such motor vehicle over one lane, unless such movement would be unreasonable or unsafe.”

During Memorial Day Weekend 2017, Connecticut State Troopers arrested 31 drunk drivers, charged 719 motorists with speeding, 668 with seatbelt violations, and 2658 with Moving Violations.  In addition, Troopers investigated 302 motor vehicle crashes, 48 with injury and 2 fatal (resulting in 3 fatalities. 5/26 – double fatality I -91 southbound exit 24 and 5/27 Rte. 5/15 southbound exit 57).

Sobriety Checkpoints and Roving Patrols:

05/25/18   Roving Patrols - Route 8 Corridor between exit 37 in Watertown to exit 42 in Harwinton, Routes 6 & 64 in Woodbury, Routes 202 & 254 in Litchfield, Routes 7 & 341 in Kent, Routes 63 & 109 in Morris, Routes 45 & 47 in Washington, Routes 132 & 61 in Bethlehem, Route 4 in Burlington  and Route 72  Harwinton

05/26/18   Roving Patrols -  Route 8 Corridor between exit 37 in Watertown to exit 42 in Harwinton, Routes 6 & 64 in Woodbury, Routes 202 & 254 in Litchfield, Routes 7 & 341 in Kent, Routes 63 & 109 in Morris, Routes 45 & 47 in Washington, Routes 132 & 61 in Bethlehem, Route 4 in Burlington  and Route 72  Harwinton

05/27/18   Roving Patrols - Route 8 Corridor between exit 37 in Watertown to exit  42 in Harwinton, Routes 6 & 64 in Woodbury, Routes 202 & 254 in Litchfield, Routes 7 & 341 in Kent, Routes 63 & 109 in Morris, Routes 45 & 47 in Washington, Routes 132 & 61 in Bethlehem, Route 4 in Burlington  and Route 72 Harwinton

05/28/18   Roving Patrols - Route 8 Corridor between exit 37 in Watertown to exit  42 in Harwinton, Routes 6 & 64 in Woodbury, Routes 202 & 254 in Litchfield, Routes 7 & 341 in Kent, Routes 63 & 109 in Morris, Routes 45 & 47 in Washington, Routes 132 & 61 in Bethlehem, Route 4 in Burlington  and Route 72 Harwinton

05/25/18  Roving Patrols - Interstates 91 and 95 and Route 34 in greater New Haven patrol area

05/26/18  Roving Patrol - Interstate 95 and Routes 8 and 25 in the Bridgeport, Stratford, Trumbull patrol area

05/27/18  Roving Patrols - Interstate 95 in Stamford, Norwalk, Greenwich and Route 7 in the Norwalk area

05/28/18  Roving Patrols - Route 15 (Merritt Parkway) from New York State Line to the Sikorsky Bridge

05/25/18   DUI Sobriety Checkpoint – Route 67 at the intersection of Mountain Road in Oxford.  This is in conjunction with the Breath Alcohol Testing Mobile Unit

05/26/18   Roving Patrols - Interstate 84 in greater Danbury, Southbury and Waterbury areas

05/27/18   Roving Patrols - Interstate 84 in greater Danbury, Southbury and Waterbury areas

05/28/18   Roving Patrols - Interstate 84 in greater Southbury, Danbury and Waterbury areas

05/25/18   Roving Patrols – Route 8 Limited Access Highway in Torrington Route 4 in Goshen.

05/26/18   Roving Patrols – Route 8 Limited Access Highway and Route 44 in Winsted, Barkhamsted and New Hartford

05/27/18   Roving Patrols – Routes 7 and 44 in North Canaan, Falls Village and Norfolk.

05/28/18   Roving Patrols –Routes 44, 202 and 219 in Torrington, New Hartford, Barkhamsted

05/25/18  Roving Patrols – Interstates 84 and 91 within greater Troop H patrol area

05/26/18  Roving Patrols – Interstates 84 and 91 within greater Troop H patrol area

05/27/18  DUI Sobriety Checkpoint – Interstate 84 Hartford eastbound and westbound exit 46 on-ramp. This is in conjunction with the Breath Alcohol Testing Mobile Unit

05/27/18  Roving Patrols – Interstates 84 and 91 within greater Troop H patrol area

05/28/18  Roving Patrols – Interstates 84 and 91 within greater Troop H patrol area

05/29/18  Roving Patrols – Interstates 84 and 91 within greater Troop H patrol area

05/25/18  Roving Patrols – Route 8 in towns of Shelton, Ansonia and Derby

05/26/18  Roving Patrols – Interstate 91 in the area of Interstate 691 in Meriden

05/27/18  Roving Patrols – Route 15 in towns of Hamden and New Haven

05/28/18  Roving Patrols – Interstate 91 in towns of New Haven and North Haven

05/25/18  Roving Patrols – Interstate 95 and Route 9 in towns of Guilford, Madison, Clinton, Westbrook, Old Saybrook, Old Lyme, Essex,   Chester, Deep River, Haddam and Killingworth

05/26/18  Roving Patrols – Interstate 95 and Route 9 in towns of Guilford, Madison, Clinton, Westbrook, Old Saybrook, Old Lyme, Essex, Chester, Deep River, Haddam and Killingworth

05/27/18  Roving Patrols – Interstate 95 and Route 9 in towns of Guilford, Madison, Clinton, Westbrook, Old Saybrook, Old Lyme, Essex, Chester, Deep River, Haddam and Killingworth

05/28/18  Roving Patrols - Interstate 95 and Route 9 in towns of Guilford, Madison, Clinton, Westbrook, Old Saybrook, Old Lyme, Essex, Chester, Deep River, Haddam and Killingworth

05/25/18  Roving Patrols – Within Greater Troop C patrol area

05/26/18  Roving Patrols – Within Greater Troop C patrol area

05/27/18  Roving Patrols – Within Greater Troop C patrol area

05/28/18  Roving Patrols – Within Greater Troop C patrol area

05/25/18  Roving Patrols – Within Greater Troop D patrol area

05/26/18  Roving Patrols – Within Greater Troop D patrol area

05/27/18  Roving Patrols – Within Greater Troop D patrol area

05/28/18  Roving Patrols – Within Greater Troop D patrol area

05/25/18  Roving Patrols – Within Greater Troop E patrol area

05/26/18  DUI Sobriety Checkpoint – Route 2 at Wheeler High School in North Stonington This is in conjunction with the Breath Alcohol Testing Mobile Unit

05/26/18  Roving Patrols – Within Greater Troop E patrol area

05/27/18  Roving Patrols – Within Greater Troop E patrol area

05/28/18  Roving Patrols – Within Greater Troop E patrol area

05/25/18  Roving Patrols - Routes 6 and 384 including towns of Lebanon, Bozrah, Franklin and Windham

05/26/18  Roving Patrols - Routes 6, 87 including towns of Bolton, Columbia, and Andover                                                                                         

05/27/18  Roving Patrols – Route 66 including towns of Hebron and Marlborough

05/28/18  Roving Patrols – Route 85 including towns of Colchester, Salem and East Haddam