Jefferson City police increase traffic patrols for impaired drivers

The Jefferson City Police Department increased traffic patrols Wednesday night on the lookout for those who may be drinking and driving.

The night before Thanksgiving is one of the biggest drinking nights of the year, according to Sgt. Doug Ruediger.

In 2014, troopers arrested 92 people for drinking and driving during the Thanksgiving holiday period, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The Thanksgiving period is defined as 6:00 p.m. Wednesday to 11:59 p.m. Sunday. The highway patrol recorded more than 1,150 crashes during the counting period last year. In those crashes, 18 people were killed and nearly 470 were injured.

Sgt. Ruediger expected traffic in Jefferson City to double from the usual amount due to extra people in town for the holiday and travelers passing through the city.

Officers are looking for several signs when watching for impaired drivers.

“Erratic driving, lane violations, running red lights, speeding,” Ruediger said. “Any kind of clues that would lead us to believe that someone is impaired. It’s typically the lane violations, improper lane usage, following too closely, things like that.”