The Kansas Highway Patrol is working additional hours from May 18 until May 31, according to a spokesman.
This additional coverage comes thanks to funding from the Kansas Department of Transportation through the STEP (Special Traffic Enforcement Program) campaign, to help motorists reach their destinations safely.
“The Patrol is dedicated to helping save lives on Kansas highways. We will enforce the state’s seat belt and child safety seat laws, as a way to help prevent fatalities on our roads. One death is one too many,” said Col. Mark Bruce, superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol.
The STEP program allows officers to work overtime hours, providing extra manpower on the roads and focusing on areas such as occupant protection, enforcing impaired driving laws, enforcing the state’s texting laws, and other traffic safety issues. This year’s focus of the Memorial Day STEP campaign is, “Click It. Or Ticket,” encouraging seat belt/child safety seat use for occupants of all ages.
During the 2014 Memorial Day holiday reporting period for the Patrol (KHP stats only), troopers worked one fatal crash on Kansas’ roads, which killed one person. The crash was alcohol-related. Patrol personnel arrested 34 people for impaired driving. Personnel also assisted 1,105 motorists who needed help on Kansas roads.
“Memorial Day is a celebration of the great men and women who have lost their lives serving this great country, and also marks the beginning of summer vacation season nationwide. The KHP and all of our law enforcement partners would remind all Kansans to buckle up, every trip, every time,” said Capt. Joshua Kellerman, patrol public information officer. “We would also remind everyone to make plans in advance for a sober driver. Law enforcement will also be out looking for those drivers who made the wrong decision to drink and drive.”
If you are in need of assistance on a Kansas highway, you can call KHP for assistance at *47 (*HP) or *582 (*KTA) for the Kansas Turnpike.