CT Police To Crack Down On Impaired Drivers For ‘Deadly’ Fourth Of July Weekend

Police in Connecticut will be ramping up patrols for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, which is among the deadliest times of the year on the roads.

Additional patrols will be deployed statewide to apprehend impaired drivers and help keep roads safer, according to Josh Bernegger, chairman of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association Traffic Safety Committee and police chief in Watertown.

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“Connecticut law enforcement agencies remind everyone to celebrate our nation's Independence Day responsibly by designating a sober driver,” Bernegger said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports there were 2,719 people killed in motor vehicle crashes over the Fourth of July holiday period from 2020 to 2024. In those cases, 38 percent of the drivers killed were impaired.

According to state police, in Connecticut, impaired driving continues to be a leading factor in fatal crashes. In 2024, the most recent year with verified data, 105 people were killed in alcohol-impaired crashes, representing 34 percent of all state traffic fatalities, state police said.

Colonel Daniel Loughman, commanding officer of the Connecticut State Police, said troopers will be on the roads and highways throughout the long holiday weekend enforcing traffic laws.

“We encourage all motorists and passengers to buckle up, follow posted speed limits, ditch the distractions, and never drive while impaired,” Loughman said.

Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto urged state residents to designate a sober driver, use a rideshare or taxi service, or take public transportation.

“Impaired driving is entirely preventable, and every driver has a responsibility to help keep Connecticut's roads safe,” Eucalitto said.

Municipal departments are also planning additional patrols and checkpoints to catch impaired drivers. The Hartford Police Department, for example, announced on its Facebook page it is having a checkpoint on Wethersfield Avenue Thursday night. Waterbury police will be conducting a sobriety and safety checkpoint on Friday on Union Street, according to that department’s Facebook page.