The combination of warm weather and the holiday weekend can add up to danger for the many drivers that will head out on the area’s roads, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol.

“It’s going to be the first really nice weekend, and it’s going to bring out a lot of people who just want to have fun,” Lt. Glenn Peterson, commander of the patrol’s Elyria post, said. “There’s nothing wrong with having fun, but let’s do it safely.”

That’s why there will be an all-out traffic safety blitz throughout the weekend. Cops will be targeting drunken drivers, drivers and passengers who aren’t buckled up and other offenses. To kick it off, the patrol worked with the Vermilion police and the county sheriff to run a drunken driving checkpoint along Liberty Avenue in Vermilion late Friday night and into this morning.

The Elyria post will have an additional 10 state troopers on duty to help keep watch over roadways, and other law enforcement agencies are expected to increase their numbers.

“We’ll be looking for impaired drivers all day, not just at night time,” Peterson said. “People should know that extra officers are going to be on the road.”

Peterson said an average of more than 16,000 alcohol-related traffic crashes kill more than 450 people each year in Ohio, and while the post can boost manpower to help keep watch, people ultimately have to make the right decisions.

“It’s so simple — that’s what’s frustrating,” he said. “But the more we drive, the more invincible we think we are.”

In 2007, six of the 12 people killed in the state during the holiday were involved in alcohol-related crashes, and nearly 700 driving-while-intoxicated arrests were made during the weekend alone.

More than 10,000 law enforcement agencies throughout the nation will also take part in a “Click It or Ticket” campaign over the weekend to ensure travelers are wearing their seat belts. The effort features extensive nighttime safety belt enforcement — a time when nearly two-thirds of motorists killed in crashes are unbuckled, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In addition to the increase in vehicle traffic, the holiday also brings out its fair share of motorcycles.

Of the 10 fatal crashes that have already occurred this year in Lorain County, two have involved motorcycles, which, Peterson said, can often be hidden in a vehicle’s blind spot.

“Motorists can help by sharing the road with motorcycles,” he said. “Motorcyclists can make a difference by receiving proper training and by never riding impaired.”

Troopers encourage the public to continue using (877) 7-PATROL to report dangerous drivers or stranded motorists, or (800) GRAB-DUI to report impaired drivers.

This year, the Patrol’s Web site — www.statepatro.ohio.gov — will be updated daily beginning Saturday and ending Monday to keep track of fatal crashes and alcohol-related crashes and arrests.

Contact Stephen Szucs at 329-7129 or sszucs@chroniclet.com.

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