The Lawrence Police Department this weekend will begin a special traffic enforcement campaign aimed at identifying drunk drivers and those not using seat belts and child car seats. The campaign will last through Nov. 29.

Lawrence police spokesman Sgt. Trent McKinley said the initiative is part of the statewide “Kansas Thanksgiving Enforcement Campaign” funded by the Kansas Department of Transportation. McKinley said officers will be “focus(ing) on identifying impaired drivers and those not using seat belts and child restraint devices.”

McKinley said that according to KDOT, the Thanksgiving holiday period “outranks all other holidays, with the exception of New Year’s Day, in the number of crashes” attributed to drunk drivers.

Statistics also show that the fatality rate of vehicle accidents doubles if one is not wearing a seat belt, McKinley said.

“As you travel during the upcoming holiday week, please remember to designate a driver and buckle up,” McKinley said.