(MSC News)--The latest special traffic enforcement campaign, spearheaded by the Kansas Highway Patrol, will continue through the Labor Day Weekend, wrapping up at the close of the holiday. “If you drink, you drive, you lose. So, let's put the sober people behind the wheel and everybody have a safe holiday weekend.” 

That's Patrol Trooper Don Hughes, who says the  program is supported by a grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation, funded through federal dollars, which pays the overtime of officers to keep roadways safe. “During the 2013 Labor Day holiday weekend, there were 378 crashes statewide, worked by all different law enforcement agencies, not just the Highway Patrol,” Hughes tells MSC News. “Of those 378 crashes, five people were killed in these crashes and 154 injured and 29 of these were alcohol related. We'd really like to reduce those numbers this year.” 

Partnering with the patrol are local law enforcement agencies across the state. That includes local city and county agencies, such as the City of Horton, where John Calhoon serves as Police Chief. “Our goal is to reduce injuries and fatalities,” Calhoon says. “We particularly want to focus on wearing seatbelts. We're also going to be looking for other violations for texting while driving, etc.” 

Calhoon says the intent of the campaign is not to actually have to stop motorists. Instead, he says the idea is to make drivers alert of the extra law enforcement presence so they voluntarily get behind the wheel sober and drive safely without distractions.