State Police will be stepping up patrols over the Thanksgiving holiday in an effort to crack down on drunk drivers and aggressive motorists.
Police will set up a sobriety checkpoint in Middlefield utilizing the B.A.T. (Breath Alcohol Testing) Mobile, in addition to roving DUI patrols, according to Sgt. Sal Calvo.
Police will not disclose the specific location of the sobriety checkpoint and plan to target speeders and distracted drivers as well.
AAA projects that 43.6 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the upcoming holiday week, 90 percent of which will travel by car.
According to Mother's Against Drunk Driving, Thanksgiving Eve is the start the most dangerous days for drunk driving deaths, specifically involving young people.
"There’s a troubling trend of drunk driving fatalities in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving Thursday, following what’s becoming known as 'Blackout Wednesday,' a time when people who are home for the holiday are choosing to celebrate with excessive amounts of alcohol," the organization says.