Memorial Day Traffic: OHP Urges Safe Driving Practices

Many people are also driving home and with all the drivers on the road, making the trip back could be life-changing.

As people start to return home on this Memorial Day the Oklahoma Highway Patrol is encouraging drivers to buckle up, watch your speed and always drive sober.

Traffic will continue to get worse as people head to and from their destinations and according to AAA, this Memorial Day is projected to be one of the busiest weekends ever. News On 6's Makayla Glenn went on a ride-along OHP’s Lt. Mark Southhall on Memorial Day.

"Not our first crash, but it won't be our last for sure," Southhall said.

He says this is the time of year where troopers see lots of deadly or dangerous situations on the roads.

"We typically see crashes about mid-day into the evening hours and unfortunately that's where we see a lot of the tragedies happen," Southhall said.

Southhall also shared some advice for drivers.

"First priority is always wear your seatbelt, that's going to be the first thing to save you if something goes bad," Southhall said.

He says driving fast can lead to jail time or worse, hurting or killing yourself or someone else.

Over the course of the Memorial Day weekend, troopers typically arrest between 35 to 40 people for DUI. Southhall says it's not their goal to arrest that many people, but they will do what’s needed to keep people safe.

He says the decisions that people make while trying to have fun can affect others. Many people think they are okay to drive, but if you feel funny, you're going to drive funny.

"Make sure that you don't get behind the wheel of a vehicle or a vessel if you've been consuming alcohol,” Southhall said.

Call an Uber or taxi to make sure you get to your destination safely.

If you think someone's driving might be impaired, you can call the Oklahoma Highway Patrol at 918-627-0440. It's helpful if you can provide a description of the vehicle, location, or tag.