BY JOHN HOPKINS
The Cincinnati Enquirer
This year, 36.9 million people are expected to travel during the Fourth of July weekend -- the most in more than a decade.
HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS
|
A list of festivals and events in the Tristate over the holiday weekend.
|
Of those, 31.6 million are expected to go by auto, light truck or recreational vehicle, according to AAA of Cincinnati. And for ground travelers, the Fourth of July has traditionally been one of the deadliest holiday periods.
Last year, 17 people were killed on Ohio roads and five on Kentucky roads. Indiana casualties in 1997 have not been tabulated; but in 1996, there were 12.
"It's one of the three deadliest (holidays) -- Memorial, Labor Day and the Fourth of July," said Lt. John Born of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
"Alcohol-related fatalities are typically up more than on any other weekend," he said. "But the total number of fatalities are up as well, basically because of the sheer volume of traffic." In Ohio, state troopers are asking people to report drunken drivers by calling *-DUI on cellular phones or (800) Grab-DUI. They will also have 12 aircraft watching from above.
"This will be our one-year anniversary of Operation TRIAD, which is basically targeting road rage drivers from the air," Lt. Born said.
In Kentucky, troopers are hoping their Buckle Up Kentucky campaign, introduced in May to bring awareness of seat-belt safety, will have an impact. They also plan to be out in force.
"We're maximizing our manpower over the weekend," said Lt. Kevin Payne of the Kentucky State Police.
Kentucky troopers will also be on the lookout for safe drivers. Drivers traveling through checkpoints may be cited with a "thank you ticket" and be eligible to win a two-year lease on a 1998 Ford Ranger, Lt. Payne said.
"Not only are you reducing your chances of getting hurt, but you can actually win a car," he said.
Travel is expected to be cheaper this year.
Travelers can expect to pay 14 cents less per gallon than they did last year, according to AAA. At an average of $1.108 per gallon for self-service regular gasoline, it is the lowest for this time of year since 1990, according to AAA's Fuel Gauge Report.
In the Cincinnati area, motorists can expect to pay $1.12 a gallon for self-service regular gasoline, $1.21 for midgrade and $1.32 for premium.
