No fatalities resulting from increased travel were reported inthe area during Thanksgiving weekend activities. That, lawenforcement authorities say, makes it a successful holiday forthem.

“That’s good there. That’s the good part,” said Sgt. Rusty Boyd,public relations officer for the nine-county Mississippi HighwaySafety Patrol’s District Nine office.

Lincoln County Sheriff Steve Rushing and Brookhaven Police ChiefPap Henderson also said the weekend went well.

“It was very successful,” Henderson said. “It was a quietweekend – very nice.”

Boyd said the combination of increased patrols and publicawareness led to a decline in the number of deaths and citationsissued this year. Last year, two people died in vehiclecrashes.

“I think a lot of people are aware we’re going to be out there,and the public is getting more aware of safety issues,” hesaid.

The MHP issued a total of 1,230 citations between 6 p.m.Wednesday and midnight Sunday in District Nine, Boyd said.

At 885, speeding, careless and reckless driving, running stopsigns and other hazardous traffic violations composed a majority ofthe tickets issued, he said.

There were 292 non-hazardous citations issued. Non-hazardouscitations include violations such as no driver’s license or noproof of insurance.

Troopers specifically targeted some offenses this weekend, Boydsaid, and wrote 18 citations for driving under the influence, 13for seat belt violations, 15 for child restraint law violations andmade seven drug arrests.

The most important statistic, however, was the zero recorded infatalities, Boyd said. Troopers responded to 13 vehicle crashes,but only three people reported injuries.

Rushing said his deputies were still turning in citations issuedduring the same period and a breakdown of those statistics wasunavailable. However, he said the department answered 81 calls forservice, including six accidents with no injuries.

In addition, the sheriff said, deputies manned a few road blocksat strategic intersections in the county during the weekend.

“We did some spot checks on drivers’ licenses,” Rushing said.”We may have had one or two extra officers out.”

Boyd said most MHP troopers were on shift during the weekend orwere patrolling the roads as part of a federal call back grantprogram that compensates troopers for returning to duty during theholidays when they would normally be off shift.

“We had a lot of extra guys working,” he said. “And it works. Wehad a very successful weekend.”