Mississippi Highway Patrol reports a deadly holiday period on the roads

The Mississippi Highway Patrol was on high alert during the long Thanksgiving weekend.

MHP concluded its 2019 Thanksgiving holiday enforcement period, which began Wednesday, Nov. 27, at 12:01 a.m. and ended Sunday, Dec. 1, at midnight.

During that five-day period, officers issued 6,824 citations and made 95 DUI arrests.

The agency also recorded a deadly holiday period. Officers investigated185 motor vehicle crashes, which included 49 injuries and 10 fatalities on state, federal and interstate highways throughout Mississippi.

Crashes with one fatality occurred in Holmes, Rankin, Sunflower, Humphries, Simpson and Montgomery counties. Two fatal crashes with one fatality each occurred in Marshall County, and a Union County accident had two fatalities.

MHP observed heavy traffic throughout the period and anticipates the number of motorists traveling to increase due to the upcoming December holiday period.