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Missouri Highway Patrol watching drivers closely Memorial Day weekend

Posted at 2:21 PM, May 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-26 18:28:00-04

Starting at noon Friday through midnight Monday, troopers are saturating Missouri interstates, with at least one officer every 20 miles. 

"We might go from stopping someone for a traffic violation to changing someone's flat tire," said Sgt. Collin Stosberg with the Missouri Highway Patrol. 

It's 'Operation C.A.R.E.,' Crash Awareness Reduction Effort, and it’s Missouri Highway Patrol's annual effort to make roadways safer Memorial Day weekend.

"Our goal is to reduce crashes, and we do that through visibility too. Often times when you see a police officer or trooper, people slow down," said Stosberg. 

Troop A out of Lee’s Summit told 41 Action News they continue to see an increase in accidents, mostly due to distracted driving.

According to AAA, this weekend will see the busiest Memorial Day travel in 12 years. Which means officers will be enforcing laws vigilantly. 

Memorial Day weekend in 2016 had 1,045 crashes across the state, resulting in 451 injuries and 13 deaths.

"Wear your seat belt. Pay attention. Be courteous. Take a second out of your day to obey the speed limit, to pay attention so you can get to your destination safely," said Stosberg. 

And for those on the water this weekend, officers will be out on the lakes as well. 

There were 135 DWI arrests in Missouri by land and water last Memorial Day weekend.