While a significant number of traffic stops were made by state troopers during last weekend’s Memorial Day enforcement period, the overall situation on Southwest Mississippi roads was relatively safe.
There were no fatal collisions and no traffic fatalities reported by the Brookhaven-based Troop M of the Mississippi Highway Patrol from Friday last week through the Monday holiday.
The area troopers did investigate 11 collisions, none of which were determined to be alcohol-related. Five people wre injured in those crashes.
Troop M did report 45 DUI arrests and 53 drug arrests. Five arrests were made for felony charges.
The local troop responded to 770 hazard calls and 633 non-hazard calls during the holiday period. There wre no citations for public drunkenness in the area, but 205 seat belt violations, 40 child restraint violations and 13 calls for assistance to motorists.
Statewide, the Highway Patrol investigated 125 collisions. Four of those, in Stone, Washington, Claiborne and Yazoo counties, resulted in four deaths.
The Washington County crash was a motorcyclist who left the road and overturned.
Another 49 people were injured in car crashes during the holiday period.
Troopers issues 15,263 citations, made 375 arrests for impaired driving and cited 1,615 motorists for seatbelt violations.
The ticket numbers for the state show a sharp increase over the 2021 holiday period, when only 5,734 tickets were issued, including 465 for seat belt and child restraint violations, 160 for driving under the influence.
Crashes and fatalities, however, increased by only one from the previous year. Almost twice as many motorists called for assistance then did so the previous year, going from 56 to 109.
