Despite high gasoline prices at the pump, area law enforcement are planning on heavy roadway traffic on Independence Day and continuing through the weekend that follows.

With the Fourth of July falling on a Wednesday, many travelers will extend their vacation plans to include the weekend before or after the celebrated holiday.

Both the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Kentucky State Police will have increased patrols.

“We’ll be looking for anything that constitutes aggressive driving,” Lt. Michael Gore, commander of the Lawrence County post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said. “That would be excessive speed, driving left of center, failure to yield, following too closely — any crash-causing violations. And of course, we’ll be looking for the impaired driver.”

Impaired driving tends to increase during holiday periods, noted Lt. Col. Dean Hayes, director of the KSP Operations Division.

“Unfortunately, too many people don’t understand that alcohol, drugs and driving just don’t mix,” he said. “Impaired driving is no accident, nor is it a victimless crime.”

Kentucky troopers will work overtime to provide increased saturation patrols and traffic safety checkpoints in high crash, high traffic locations, radar and laser details and coordinated enforcement activities with local police and sheriff’s departments for maximum coverage.

There were no fatalities in Lawrence County during last year’s Fourth of July holiday period.