Travelers hitting the road early for the holiday weekend encouraged to be safe

BRANFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Holiday travelers are hitting the road early to celebrate the Fourth of July festivities and police are taking notice.

AAA reports that an estimated 70 million people are traveling 50 miles or more from home this holiday weekend.

Connecticut State Police told News 8 that they have a Speed & Aggressive Driving Enforcement campaign that began on Wednesday as well as numerous other initiatives to crack down on dangerous drivers.

“Anything that impedes your ability to focus on the road and get to where you’re going safely is what we’re looking for,” Connecticut State Police Lieutenant Alex Cintron said.

Police suggest that anyone who identifies a potentially impaired driver on the road to call 911 and keep their distance.

People can expect increased patrols to last all weekend. It is recommended that if you are planning to drink alcohol, you have a designated driver or use a ride share plan.

For those looking for another reason to celebrate, one survey says that gas is at a three-year low this holiday.

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