2007-61
PRESS RELEASE:  November 16, 2007
FROM:   The Kansas Highway Patrol
CONTACT: Lieutenant John A. Eichkorn (785) 296-6800
Technical Trooper Edna Buttler (785) 296-6800
Kim Stitch, KDOT (785) 296-3585

Officials Focus on Safe Thanksgiving Travel

The Kansas Highway Patrol and the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) will focus efforts on a safe Thanksgiving holiday travel weekend. The Patrol and many other law enforcement agencies will participate in KDOT's Special Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) November 19 through 25 to help keep traffic-related fatalities and injuries low.

The Patrol and the Kansas law enforcement community will focus on enforcing seat belt and child passenger safety laws, as well as removing impaired drivers from our roads. Because of KDOT's STEP, there will be more troopers, deputies, and police officers on the streets and highways during the upcoming busy period. STEP will fund overtime for troopers and other participating law enforcement officers who normally would be off duty.

KDOT and the Patrol also want to remind motorists during the holiday travel period of Kansas' "move over" laws, which are designed to protect highway maintenance, law enforcement, and first responder personnel. Variable message boards located across the state will convey "move over" safety messages to drivers. Troopers also will strictly enforce these important laws, which require motorists to slow down and move over, if it is safe to do so, for all stationary authorized vehicles engaged in work along the highway and displaying flashing lights. This includes highway maintenance, law enforcement, and emergency first responder vehicles. Drivers traveling on two-lane roadways are prohibited from overtaking or passing another vehicle within 100 feet of such vehicles. Drivers cited for these violations face a fine of up to $180 plus court costs.

Patrol Superintendent Colonel William Seck and KDOT Secretary Deb Miller are reminding motorists to always expect workers in construction zones, even over the holiday weekend. Secretary Miller said, "It is important to protect everyone while they are working along the roadside. Move over - let them safely do their job."

For safe holiday travel, the Patrol and KDOT remind drivers to allow extra travel time, make sure vehicles are in good mechanical condition, and watch for threatening weather. Updated weather and highway conditions are available by calling 511 in Kansas or 1-866-511-KDOT from out of state. Road conditions are available online at http://511.ksdot.org.

During the 2006 Thanksgiving reporting period (6 p.m., Wednesday through midnight Sunday), there were 720 crashes resulting in 223 injuries and nine deaths. Of those total crashes, 46 were alcohol related, resulting in 28 injuries and one death.