Statewide, NM - During the Thanksgiving holiday, the New Mexico State Police participated in the Combined Accident Reduction Effort (C.A.R.E.) operation across all roadways within the state. The goal of the traffic initiative is to increase motorist safety and reduce the number of crashes through a strong law enforcement presence.
Because of the increased volume of traffic during the holiday, NMSP increased its patrol presence during this initiative on roadways throughout all State Police districts on the busiest travel days of the Thanksgiving holiday, specifically Wednesday, November 23rd, through Sunday, November 27th, 2022.
The operation resulted in State Police officers issuing over 2,300 traffic citations (46 citations were for lack of seat belt usage) and arresting 17 drunk drivers statewide. Officers investigated a total of 63 crashes, with none being fatal. The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Bureau issued 196 commercial vehicle citations and conducted over 400 commercial vehicle inspections.
Officers seized over 1,100 fentanyl pills and one firearm during a traffic stop. The estimated street value of the fentanyl seized is $11,000. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.
The safety of motorists is a top priority of the New Mexico State Police and officers will continue holiday travel operations throughout the year. We encourage the public to drive safely and obey all laws while traveling the motorways of New Mexico.