Troop K New Year’s weekend statistics

Earlier this morning, News 25 caught up with the Mississippi Highway Patrol’s Troop K who is tasked with policing roadways in the state’s six southernmost counties.
Thanks to increased presence from troopers over the New Year’s holiday weekend, there were fewer accidents and injuries on the highways of South Mississippi.
Troop K did make 9 DUI arrests over the weekend versus only three last year, but the “Make it home for the holidays” initiative ultimately helped officers keep motorists safer. Chase Elkins with Mississippi Highway Patrol said, “We had an increase in DUI’s, fewer injuries and fewer fatalities. This year versus New Year’s 2016-2017, a lot of that had to door with extra men and manpower out on the road, with higher enforcement, more checkpoints out on the roads and we deterred a lot of that stuff with the initiative, make it home for the holidays.”
Elkins tells News 25 that Mississippi’s fatalities on the New Year’s holiday weekend are down from four last year to only one fatality statewide this year.