The Alabama Department of Public Safety’s Operation Safe Holidays traffic safety campaign was a success.

A 24-day initiative designed to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities during the busy holiday travel period, Operation Safe Holidays ran from Dec. 10, 2010, through Jan. 2, 2011.

“The campaign was a success, and 10 more people were able to spend the holidays with their loved ones,” said Col. F.A. Bingham, acting director of Public Safety.

Troopers investigated 10 fewer traffic fatalities than during the same period in 2009.

In fact, troopers have seen a consistent decline in traffic fatalities since 2006 and attribute the reduction to such safety campaigns as Operation Safe Holidays and Take Back Our Highways, both of which promote traffic safety and increased trooper presence on Alabama’s highways. In 2006, trooper-investigated traffic fatalities were at 828, their highest since 1973. These numbers have consistently decreased each year, with 525 in 2010.

During Operation Safe Holidays, trooper enforcement included:

• DUI arrests: 492

• Speeding citations: 14,395

• Reckless Driving citations: 69

• Seat Belt/Child Restraint citations: 6,916

Troopers also provided assistance to 1,322 motorists.