State Police: 157 Accidents, 793 Speeding Tickets by Midday Saturday

Connecticut State Police officers have responded to hundreds of accidents, handed out hundreds of citations and made two dozen drunk driving arrests on the first full day of the Fourth of July weekend.

As of 3:30 p.m. Saturday, the tally included 24 drunk driving arrests, according to State Police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance.

Troopers patrolling state highways and roads also issued 43 tickets for seat belt violations and 793 speeding tickets, and investigated 157 accidents on Saturday, Vance wrote in an email.

State police have been fielding extra patrols and setting up sobriety checkpoints in problem areas and as part of (Combined Accident Reduction Effort), a national effort to reduce accidents that began July 1.

Increased patrols and  sobriety checkpoints will continue until Operation C.A.R.E ends at midnight on July 4.

View a list of the checkpoints on the Connecticut State Police Web site.