Through New Years Day, AAA says over 104 million people will travel by car to celebrate their holiday.
This includes some who will travel through the Wabash Valley.
With travel expected to increase, the Indiana State Police say they also expect traffic to do the same.
“Even since Friday evening we’ve seen more volume of traffic out here on the roadways,” said Sgt. Matt Ames, Indiana State Police.
To keep the roadways safe, Ames says ISP will increase their patrols to not only look for drivers not following the rules of roads, but to also prevent drunk driving.
“Our troopers here at the Indiana State Police have made over 440 criminal arrests for DUI’s within the last year,” Ames said.
Eight drunk driving arrests were made over the past Friday and Saturday.
Ames says law enforcement wants the community to enjoy their holiday, but to do so responsibly.
“Make sure that you have your plan when you go to a party that you’re going to have a designated driver, that you can call a cab, or whether you can call an Uber to get to your destination,” Ames said.
Ames says by putting safety first, drivers in the Valley can have a safe and enjoyable holiday season.
“All you’ve got to do is follow those few safety rules and you will have a safe and happy holiday, and you won’t be getting pulled over by a police officer who may be taking appropriate actions for your driving habits,” Ames said.
The 104 million people expected to travel by car is a just under 4% increase compared to last year.
ISP also encourages drivers to use caution near areas like malls due to holiday shopping.
