State Police Announce 'Lifesaver' Weekend Crackdown

LANSING (WWJ/AP) - Michigan State Police will be taking part in a national campaign to crack down on drunken and unbelted driving over the pre-Christmas weekend.

State police say the Operation C.A.R.E. Lifesaver weekend campaign starts at 6 p.m. Friday and runs through midnight Sunday.

Department Director Col. Kriste Kibbe Etue said the weekend before the Christmas weekend is typically a very busy travel period. Last year, there were five traffic crashes that resulted in five deaths over the Operation C.A.R.E. Lifesaver weekend.

Etue said the Lifesaver campaign seeks to make roads as safe as possible -- adding that her troopers will show zero tolerance over the weekend for intoxicated driving, driving without using a safety belt and unsafe driving.

MSP troopers will also participate in the statewide "Drunk Driving: Over the Limit, Under Arrest" drunk driving enforcement campaign.

State Police said they will be paying special attention on I-696 between I-75 and I-96. Sterling Heights, Centerline, Auburn Hills, Dearborn Heights and Livonia police will also be out with special patrols. In Detroit, cops will be patrolling the downtown area along with areas near McNichols and Greenfield, along the Michigan Avenue Corridor and on the city's northeast side.

Police say the best thing to do if you are partying is to have a designated driver, take a cab or stay the night where you've been drinking.

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