CHEYENNE, Wyoming — This Thanksgiving holiday, the Cheyenne Police Department is partnering with law enforcement agencies across the nation on a high-visibility safety campaign.
The federally funded campaign is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Occupant Protection and Impaired Driving effort. Beginning Wednesday, November 24 through Saturday, November 27, the law enforcement community will be working together to increase roadway safety across the country.
This weekend, millions will hit our nation’s roads, eager to spend time with family and friends. It is one of the busiest travel times of the year, and unfortunately, more people on the roadways means the potential for more vehicle crashes.
Throughout the campaign, Cheyenne police will increase patrols and step up enforcement of occupant protection laws to include seat-belt usage, speed enforcement, traffic control violations, and child restraint violations.
The campaign is not about citations; it is about saving lives.
During the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2019, there were 279 passenger vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes across the nation.
More than half (54%) were unrestrained. Nighttime proved even more deadly, with 52% of Thanksgiving weekend crashes occurring at night.
These deaths represent needless tragedies for families across America and may have been prevented with the simple click of a seat belt. “Thanksgiving is a time for celebrating gratitude with loved ones, and we want to make sure our community members arrive at their Thanksgiving destinations as safely as possible,” said Cheyenne Police Chief, Mark Francisco to the Wyoming News.
