photo by: Douglas County Sheriff's Office

A Douglas County Sheriff's Office vehicle is pictured in January 2022.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office will have more deputies patrolling on county roads and highways from this Saturday, Nov. 22, through Thanksgiving weekend, looking for people without seat belts and impaired and distracted drivers.

A news release from the Sheriff’s Office on Thursday said the enhanced presence is part of a statewide Thanksgiving campaign. The overtime pay for the extra deputies is supported by Kansas Department of Transportation grant money.

“We are glad to see so many people plan to travel for Thanksgiving, but even more so we want to see people get to their family gatherings safely,” Sheriff Jay Armbrister said in the release. “Buckling up and using proper child-safety seats are the best things you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones. Also, avoid impaired driving any time you get behind the wheel.”

From 2019 to 2023, the release said, Douglas County had 96 impaired driving crashes, and 37% of the 49 fatalities that occurred over that period involved someone not wearing a seat belt. Statewide, about 50% of traffic fatalities involve someone not wearing a seat belt; 25% are directly due to inattentive driving or speeding; and 20% involve alcohol.

Armbrister also advised drivers to watch for deer, especially from dusk to midnight and before and after dawn. If you encounter a deer, he said, it’s best not to swerve, because crashing into another vehicle or rolling your vehicle can be more dangerous than hitting the deer.