Law enforcement beefing up patrols for holiday weekend

Increased traffic and more intense law enforcement will greet motorists traveling city, state and county roads this Labor Day holiday weekend.

The AAA estimates that nearly 34.4 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this weekend. Still, that number is down by 0.9 percent, or almost 320,000 people, from the 34.7 million who traveled last year. Eight of 10 of the travelers will be going by motor vehicle, according to AAA.

City, county and state police will have more officers patrolling to make sure people arrive to their destinations safely.

The Sedalia Police Department will have up to three additional officers on patrol at different times throughout today, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, said Patrolman Mike DeHaven.

“We’ll have an extra dispatcher on as well to support the extra radio traffic,” he said.

A Missouri Department of Transportation Highway Safety grant pays for the officers’ overtime. The department uses the grant money for additional patrols throughout the year.

Officers will look for speeding, improper turning and other hazardous moving violations on Sedalia’s major highways and streets, such as 16th Street and Thompson Boulevard, DeHaven said.

“Our goal is to reduce the number of traffic accidents by vigilant enforcement,” he said.

Pettis County Sheriff Kevin Bond said his department will have extra deputies on the roadways working primarily to target people driving while intoxicated, speeding, or failing to wear seat belts.

During 2007 in Missouri, 243 people died in more than 7,700 alcohol-related crashes, according to the Highway Patrol.

“I do expect there will be an increase in lake traffic,” Bond said. Drivers “need to be aware of construction on U.S. 50 and 65 Highway.”

He cautioned people to slow down in the work zones for the safety of the workers and themselves.

Also, Bond advised, “Be a defensive driver. Watch out for the other person.”

Sgt. Scott Meyer, a spokesman for Troop A of the Missouri Highway Patrol, said motorists can expect to see more troopers, especially on  interstate highways.

Troopers will be assigned to 15-mile sections along Interstates 29, 44, 55, and 70 to watch out for violations and to help stranded motorists, he said.

People who need the patrol or who want to report dangerous drivers may phone *55 for help, he said.

“With all holiday weekends like Labor Day, we try to have as many people out there as possible. ... We just want to keep everybody safe and get them to their destinations without any problems,” Meyer said. “The best technique to survive a motor vehicle crash is to make sure you are buckled up.”

Travelers headed to Truman Lake or Lake of the Ozarks may want to take heed of the new boating laws, effective Thursday, according to the Missouri Water Patrol.

The blood-alcohol level at which a person operating a vessel is legally presumed intoxicated has dropped from .10 percent to .08 percent. Boats must be at idle speed within 100 feet of an emergency vessel that is displaying flashing lights, and the nighttime speed limit of 30 mph is effective on all state waterways.

— Sarah Nail contributed to this report.