Ride along with highway patrol shows presence

Friday marks the peak travel time for Memorial Day weekend, and that means state troopers are stationed every 20 miles on the busiest highways.

Last year, six people died and nearly 400 others were injured in accidents statewide during the holiday weekend.

ABC 17’s Angel Mendez rode along with Corporal Scott Ballard stationed between mile marker 126 and 146 on I-70. Ballard said his job is to create a presence that will tell drivers to slow down and pay attention – not hand out tickets.

During the ride along, Ballard pulled over two drivers for following another car too closely and speeding. He also helped assist two people stranded on the side of the highway with a flat tire.

Ballard said troopers could be driving within that 20-mile radius or sitting in a median, using radar to track driver’s speeds.

That 20-mile trooper project will last until midnight on Friday and will begin again on Monday at 10 a.m.

The traffic crash counting period for the holiday weekend began at 6 p.m. on Friday and will last until Monday at 11:59 p.m.