State troopers beef up ranks for Christmas

BILOXI -- State troopers will beef up their ranks with increased patrols for the Christmas weekend starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

The traffic-safety enforcement campaign runs through midnight Sunday.

Troopers investigated 148 crashes statewide that claimed no lives over the Christmas holiday period in 2014,

In contrast, four people died on state highways over the Thanksgiving weekend, and none of them were wearing seat belts, said Mississippi Highway Patrol Capt. Johnny Poulos.

Everyone who rides in a vehicle has a personal responsibility to buckle up and to make sure that everyone else in the vehicle buckles up, Poulos said.

Troopers will be out in full force, looking for careless and reckless drivers and those speeding and driving distracted, he said.

Other law enforcement agencies, including the D'Iberville and Gulfport police departments, began holiday safety campaigns last week that run through midnight Jan. 1. They are participating in the nationwide "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" traffic safety campaign.

Police are urging those who plan to celebrate with alcohol to plan ahead and have a designated driver or be prepared to call a taxi.

This story was originally published December 22, 2015 at 3:15 PM with the headline "State troopers beef up ranks for Christmas ."