Last year, there were 11 deaths that occurred in 11 traffic crashes, and the Michigan State Police say that this Thanksgiving weekend, the number has dropped.
A preliminary report from the MSP show six people lost their lives in six separate traffic crashes this holiday weekend.
The Thanksgiving weekend ran from 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23 to 11:59 Sunday, Nov. 27.
"While these numbers are preliminary, they show a significant decrease in fatalities from this same holiday period last year," stated Capt. Thomas Deasy, commander of the MSP Training Division. "As we continue into the holiday season, the MSP urges motorists to drive safely, wear proper restraints and avoid drinking and driving."
The MSP had a campaign, C.A.R.E (Combined Accident Reduction Effort), where troopers conducted high-visibility enforcement focusing on impaired driving, seat belt use, careless driving and speeding.
Operation C.A.R.E. is a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing traffic crashes and fatalities on highways across the country. It began in 1977 as a collaborative effort between the MSP and the Indiana State Police. Operation C.A.R.E. is one of the nation’s longest running traffic safety initiatives and includes state and highway patrol agencies from all 50 states, as well as some American territories and Canadian provinces.
