Local News
There will be a “zero tolerance zone” in the I-95 corridor in New Hampshire through the holiday season, Gov. Chris Sununu said.
New Hampshire State Police will give a ticket to any driver pulled over on I-95 starting Tuesday in an effort to crack down on drunk and distracted driving this Thanksgiving, the governor said.
Governor Chris Sununu said there will be a “zero tolerance zone” in the I-95 corridor from Seabrook to Portsmouth, which covers the length of the interstate in New Hampshire.
“If you get pulled over, you are getting a ticket,” Sununu said. “We want that enforcement to be strong. We want the visibility to be out there, and we want everybody to take their role and responsibility in ensuring that not just them and their families, but their kids and their neighbors and even the strangers that pass them on the road, everybody needs to get where they need to be safe.”
Sununu said the zero tolerance zone will continue “through the holiday season.” Officials noted that Wednesday night before Thanksgiving is sometimes known as Blackout Wednesday or Drinksgiving.
“If you’re gonna go out and celebrate, make a plan before you even have one drink,” said New Hampshire State Police Lieutenant Christopher Storm. “Designate a sober driver to get you home safely. If you wait until you’ve had a drink, you may make not the best decision.”
New Hampshire, like other New England states, have seen an increase in traffic fatalities. Sununu said at a press conference there is a 200 percent increase in young driver fatalities compared to this time last year.
Storm said that of last weekend, traffic deaths in New Hampshire are tied with last year’s total of 127 with still a month to go.
“We are announcing additional enforcement efforts, increased patrols statewide, around the clock, through the holiday season,” Storm said. “Drivers take note if you’re excessively speeding, driving recklessly or impaired on our roads, you will face consequences.”
State troopers from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine all joined Sununu on Tuesday and said their agencies will also increase patrols on their roads.
“While we may be in New Hampshire today, we are New England, and so that means when it comes to travel safety, we are all in it together,” Sununu said.
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