This year’s Thanksgiving holiday is Thursday, Nov. 26. In an effort to prevent senseless injuries and fatalities from happening on Indiana’s roadways, the Indiana State Police and the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department will be part of the Safe Family Travel enforcement blitz.

The ISP and the DCSD, alongside more than 250 other law enforcement agencies throughout the state, will participate. The effort began Friday, Nov. 13 and will continue through Sunday, Nov. 29. During that time, ISP troopers and DCSD deputies will have the opportunity to work overtime to ensure safe travel during the dangerous holiday travel time.

“Troopers will direct their enforcement efforts towards impaired driving, speeding, following too closely, and other aggressive driving behavior,” according to a release from ISP Sgt. Noel Houze. In addition, troopers will strictly enforce seat belt and child restraint laws.

During the 2008 Thanksgiving holiday period, 15 people lost their lives in Indiana traffic crashes. More than 66 percent of those fatalities were alcohol related, Houze explained. Additionally, in more than two-thirds of the fatal collisions that occurred around Thanksgiving, the person killed was not wearing a seat belt.

“Far too many Hoosiers are losing their lives on our roadways,” Decatur County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Brian McCullough explained. “While we want Greensburg and Decatur County residents to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday, we expect motorists to celebrate responsibly by using their seat belts and designating a sober driver before festivities begin. It only takes a few seconds to plan ahead and save a life.”

Although overall seat belt use is up nationwide, many people still refuse to buckle up, according to the release. Studies from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have consistently shown that wearing a seat belt increases one’s chances of surviving a crash by more than 50 percent. Because of that, the ISP is offering more tips to stay safe during Thanksgiving: getting plenty of rest before setting out on a long trip; observing and obeying all speed limits; allowing plenty of time to reach holiday travel destinations; refusing to drink and drive; avoiding the use of cellular phones while driving; and remembering to move over and slow down when motorists see an emergency vehicle stopped along the roadways.

“Safe Family Travel” is a statewide enforcement effort that is funded with federal dollars awarded to Indiana from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The effort encompasses seat belt and impaired driving initiatives.