The Missouri State Highway Patrol is kicking off its Thanksgiving holiday travel enforcement this evening.

The counting period for the 2015 Thanksgiving holiday weekend is from 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 25, until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 29, 2015.

Throughout the holiday weekend, troopers within Troop H and throughout the state will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort). In addition to Operation C.A.R.E., Troop H will also be participating in a statewide special enforcement operation during the peak travel periods on Wednesday and Sunday. During this operation, troopers will be assigned to 20-mile stretches of Interstate 35. Enforcement efforts on secondary roads will be conducted during the same timeframe within Troop H. Over the entire holiday weekend troopers will be vigorously enforcing all traffic laws and helping motorists in need of assistance.

“We expect traffic patterns to be affected by the upcoming holiday as people make their way home for Thanksgiving,” said Colonel J. Bret Johnson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. “It’s important that everyone obey all traffic laws, be courteous drivers, and wear a seat belt. Pay attention when you’re driving and put the cell phone down. That text or phone call can wait until you’re off the roadway. If alcohol is part of your holiday celebration, plan to have a designated driver. On behalf of the employees of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, I wish you a safe and happy Thanksgiving.”

During the 2014 Thanksgiving holiday weekend, 18 people were killed and another 469 were injured in 1,151 traffic crashes. That means traffic crashes killed or injured one person every 12.6 minutes in Missouri over last year’s Thanksgiving holiday weekend.