(Versailles, Ind.) – Millions of people will hit the road this holiday weekend travelling to Independence Day cookouts and fireworks shows, but more police will be out keeping roads safe.

Indiana State Police and other law enforcement agencies across Indiana will pay troopers and officers through two federally funded enforcement projects – Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) and S.W.D.U.I.E.P. (State Wide Driving Under the Influence Enforcement Project). 

The extra funding will pay troopers to work their days off or overtime as they target impaired drivers, speeding, vehicles following too closely, and other aggressive driving behavior.  They will also keep an eye out for seatbelt law violators with a zero-tolerance approach; all violators will receive tickets.

The extra patrols will begin Friday and last through Sunday.

In the 2009’s July 4^th holiday period in Indiana there were 1,003 total vehicle crashes.  Eighty-three of those accidents were alcohol related.  Two of the accidents were fatal with one of them involving a driver on illegal drugs and with a BAC over the legal limit.