MHP: Thanksgiving crackdown has different look

A new safety awareness initiative aims to boost safety on the roads during the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol kicks off this week's travel enforcement period with the "Line to Line" awareness initiative from Wednesday through Sunday at midnight.

Because of the rising number of traffic fatalities and the expectation of more travelers on the road than ever, MHP will have troopers patrolling I-55 from the Tennessee state line all the way south to the Louisiana line.

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Capt. Johnny Poulos said in a release Monday that the high-visibility safety initiative is "designed to ensure safe holiday travel for motorists and combat reckless driving along with speeding and distracted driving issues."

The official Thanksgiving enforcement period begins at 6 p.m. Wednesday and will conclude at midnight Sunday, but troopers will line I-55 starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

MHP investigated 221 crashes including four fatalities during the 2015 Thanksgiving enforcement period. Safety checkpoints will also be conducted by troopers in order to enforce child restraint and seatbelt laws and remove impaired drivers.

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"We urge motorists who are preparing to travel on the roadways to include safe driving as part of their plans," the release stated.

Traffic is expected to be heavy along I-55 throughout the holiday, but especially Saturday, when Ole Miss and Mississippi State will play in the Egg Bowl in Oxford.