Lisa Scott
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 07/05) - The police are encouraging drivers not to be turkeys on the road this Thanksgiving weekend.

Law enforcement officers will be out in full force watching for the five most dangerous driving offenses: impaired driving, speeding, intersection mistakes, not wearing a seatbelt and high risk driving.

"There is a significant increase in the number of motorists on the road on the long weekends, resulting in serious collisions.

Fatality numbers go up as well," says Const. Ryan Peters of the RCMP traffic services division in Hay River.

Police from Inuvik to Yellowknife to Fort Smith are joining the blitz, along with bylaw officers.

Drivers can expect to see more police cars on the highways and roadways from Oct. 7-10, including enhanced traffic stops.

A regular stop may have two officers checking cars for an hour or two, says Peters.

This weekend, drivers can possibly expect to see 10 officers at each stop, with every car being pulled over and checked.

"We're trying to be in contact with more vehicles on the road," says Peters.

That means targeting peak driving times like the morning rush hour and lunch hour and the drive home in the afternoon. Called "Operation Impact", the Thanksgiving campaign is in its fourth year.

The nationwide initiative is on target to make drivers more aware of dangerous driving habits within ten years.