Memorial Day weekend has arrived, marking the beginning of the summer travel season for many people nationwide. Together with our traffic safety partners, the Kansas Highway Patrol is hoping for safe travels for everyone this busy holiday weekend. There are some key things to remember before you get in your cars and hit the roads, though.
Widely celebrated, with people traveling to lakes, barbecues, and other destinations and events, holiday weekends lend themselves to the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Before you start your festivities, it’s vital you ensure you have a safe way to get home at the end of your celebration. Either identify a designated driver, who will stay sober, or do not drink. Impaired driving is risky for everyone on the roads—drivers, passengers, and innocent motorists in other vehicles. During the 78-hour reporting period for the Memorial Day weekend in 2008, there were four fatal crashes that killed four people in Kansas. Of those fatal crashes, half of them were alcohol-related (two crashes that killed two people). In all, there were 43 alcohol-related crashes, in which 41 people were injured. Do your part to help keep others safe, and NEVER drink and drive.
Law enforcement agencies nationwide are in the midst of the Click It or Ticket campaign. Annually, we participate in this campaign because of the life-saving benefits provided when seatbelts are worn. They are your best defense should you be involved in a collision. Equally important is ensuring children are buckled up or secured in the proper child safety seats. Safe Kids Kansas provides information on child safety seats on their website: www.safekidskansas.com/child_passenger.html#childPassengerLaws. Regardless of age, the driver and front seat passenger in a vehicle must be buckled up. Any person under the age of 18 is also required by Kansas law to use their seatbelt.
Lastly, before you hit the road for a trip, you should make sure you are prepared and your vehicle is in proper working order. Has your vehicle be serviced recently? There are some things a driver can easily check to help ensure a safer trip: engine air filter, windshield washer fluid, tire pressure, tire tread, battery, and windshield wiper blades. Identify repair shops that are near where you are traveling, that way, if you have a problem, you know where to go. Additionally, you should check your route of travel ahead of time for current road work and other problems you may encounter. To check roadwork in Kansas and other states, go to: www.kandrive.org. Should you need assistance while on a Kansas highway, the Kansas Highway Patrol can be reached at *47 (*HP), and the Kansas Turnpike Authority can be reached at *582 (*KTA). For information on road conditions, dial 511.
To all Kansas residents and travelers, have a safe and enjoyable weekend!
Colonel Ernest E. Garcia
Colonel Ernest E. Garcia
About the Kansas Highway Patrol
- KS Highway Patrol
- Since 1937, Kansas Highway Patrol Troopers have offered Service, Courtesy, and Protection to the residents of the Sunflower State and to its millions of yearly visitors. More than 800 dedicated men and women are proud to serve the citizens of Kansas as members of the Patrol. They work hard and strive for excellence in public safety and traffic safety.