Michigan State Police cracking down on driver safety for Fourth of July

Troopers will take safety initiative to reduce traffic fatalities, injuries

LANSING, MICH. – Fourth of July is approaching this week and the Michigan State police is reminding motorists to make safety a priority while driving.

Again this year, troopers will join their counterparts from across the country in the international traffic safety initiative, Operation C.A.R.E. (Crash Awareness and Reduction Efforts) to reduce or eliminate traffic fatalities and injuries.

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“Be the type of driver you want everyone else to be: courteous, sober and 100 percent committed to the task at hand,” director of the MSP Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue said. “Celebrate responsibly this Fourth of July by arranging for a sober driver, wearing your seat belt every trip and refraining from distractions while behind the wheel.”

The official Fourth of July holiday period begins at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, July 3, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, July 4. Last year, 14 fatal traffic crashes resulted in 14 deaths over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Operation C.A.R.E. is one of the nation’s longest-running traffic safety initiatives. It focuses on deterring the three main causes of highway fatalities: aggressive driving, impaired driving and failure to use occupant restraints.

State police and highway patrol agencies from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Quebec Police Force and the U.S. Virgin Islands will be participating in this lifesaving traffic safety initiative. Operation C.A.R.E. also includes participation from police agencies affiliated with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).