An Alabama Department of Public Safety release said troopers would make every effort this Christmas season to protect the lives and promote the safety of Alabama motorists through additional enforcement activities.

“It is one of the busiest and most exciting times of year, and that seasonal hustle and bustle is evident on the state’s roadways as many of us will travel more between now and New Year’s,” said Col. Hugh B. McCall, director of the Alabama Department of Public Safety and the state’s highest-ranking trooper. “We all must make safety a priority—no matter how rushed we feel.”

To prevent crashes, injuries and fatalities, troopers will step up efforts to include extra patrols, sobriety checkpoints, line patrols and LIDAR speed detection, the release said.

Troopers also will focus on violations that often contribute to crashes, including speeding, following too closely, driver distraction and improper passing.

These additional enforcement activities will be made possible through grant funding from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and the Alabama Department of Transportation, the release said.

Troopers also will partner with law enforcement and traffic safety agencies throughout the state and nation to aggressively work to curtail impaired driving.

“If your seasonal celebrations will include alcohol, please take a moment to designate a non-drinking driver or to make other arrangements to be sure you—and others on the road—arrive safely to your destination,” McCall said.

The special enforcement period, which began at 12:01 a.m. Dec. 20, and will end at midnight Jan. 2, is made possible through grant funding provided by the Alabama Department of Transportation and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

As an added precaution during the heavily traveled holiday periods, ALDOT announced there would be no temporary lane closures on Alabama interstates after noon, Monday, Dec. 23 through midnight, Thursday, Dec. 26 and after noon on Monday, Dec. 30 through midnight, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014.

For the safety of the traveling public, construction industry workers and maintenance crews, roadwork will be limited during these busy holiday periods.

Throughout the year, ALDOT limits road construction during major holidays. However, emergency lane closures may be possible on interstates and other state roadways dependant on specific circumstances.