Lawrence Police Department
Media Release
November 17, 2011
Traffic Enforcement Campaign

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

            The Lawrence Police Department, along with many other police agencies across the state, will be participating in the Kansas Thanksgiving Traffic Enforcement Campaign, from Monday, November 21, through Sunday, November 27, 2011.  A grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation will enable the Lawrence Police Department to have more officers present on area roadways to aggressively enforce Kansas traffic laws.  Officers will be looking especially for impaired drivers and for children, teens, and adults who are not legally and properly secured with a seat belt or child safety restraint system.

            Surprisingly, the Thanksgiving holiday weekend (Wednesday-Sunday) commonly outranks all other holidays in its number of alcohol related crashes. Those driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, endanger not only themselves, but also their passengers, other motorists, and pedestrians.  Across Kansas, six persons – most of them innocent – are killed or injured in nine alcohol-related crashes each day.  According to KDOT, compared with non-alcohol-related crashes, vehicle occupants in alcohol-related crashes are over 2 ½ times more likely to be injured or killed.  Each week across Kansas over 300 drivers are arrested for driving under the influence.

            Failure to take two seconds to buckle up is also responsible for needless death and maiming.  Those who do not buckle up are about 12 times more likely to be killed and almost twice as likely to suffer injury as those who do buckle up.  Even worse is the fact that injuries suffered by those who are unbuckled are likely to be much more severe and disabling that those suffered by an occupant who is restrained.  According to the Kansas Department of Transportation, which tracks all crashes in the state, crashes are most likely to occur within a short distance from home.

            The Lawrence Police Department asks that if you are going to be drinking don’t consider driving home.  Arrange a ride with a non-drinking acquaintance.  Don’t let pride or convenience endanger your life and the lives of innocent others.  Always wear your seatbelt and don’t move the vehicle until each person riding with you is restrained.  By always following these simple rules, you will preserve life, maybe your own.  The men and women of the Lawrence Police Department wish you a safe and happy holiday season.

Sergeant Matt Sarna
Lawrence Police Department
Public Affairs Office
(785) 830-7404