Mississippi Highway Patrol To Begin Holiday Enforcement

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – The Mississippi Highway Patrol will begin the 2016 Fourth of July Holiday Enforcement Period on Friday at 6 p.m. ending at midnight Monday.

With the anticipation of heavy traffic flow throughout the state, Captain Johnny Poulos says all available troopers will be assigned saturation patrols in an effort to maximize visibility and reduce traffic crashes.

Poulos says motorists should be aware of the fine increase concerning texting while driving in Mississippi which also goes into effect July 1st. The fine will increase from $25 to $100 and will be strictly enforced to combat distracted driving.

He says safety checkpoints will be established during the period to remove impaired drivers from the roadways and promote seatbelt usage.

In 2015, the highway patrol investigated 138 crashes with 2 fatalities and made 125 DUI arrests during the holiday period.