Zero I-5 fatalities during Thanksgiving weekend | Washington State Patrol

On November 25, 2013, Washington State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste, California Highway Patrol Commissioner Joseph Farrow, and Oregon State Police Superintendent Richard Evans challenged drivers to “Arrive Alive” with zero fatalities on I-5 during the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend.

December 5, 2013 4:34 pm

On November 25, 2013, Washington State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste, California Highway Patrol Commissioner Joseph Farrow, and Oregon State Police Superintendent Richard Evans challenged drivers to “Arrive Alive” with zero fatalities on I-5 during the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend.   Motorists in Washington met this challenge with no traffic fatalities on I-5 during the holiday weekend.

“I want to thank all the drivers who made this challenge a success with their decisions to not drink and drive, or speed, and to wear their seat belts,” said Washington State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste. “We met our goal of no fatalities on I-5 here in Washington, but the sad news is we still had three traffic fatalities in other parts of the state over the Thanksgiving Weekend.”

Not only did WSP have extra troopers out on I-5, there were extra troopers out statewide. Preliminary data shows the trooper’s efforts statewide were:

  • 268 drivers arrested for DUI
  • 8,082 drivers stopped for speeding
  • 478 drivers stopped for seat belt violations

Oregon State Patrol also reported zero fatalities on I-5 and California Highway Patrol reported one fatality during the Thanksgiving Weekend I-5 Challenge.

The I-5 Challenge started Wednesday evening, November 27, 2013, with state law enforcement officers from San Diego, California, through Oregon, and up to Bellingham, Washington, using a mix of education outreach and enforcement to get voluntary compliance of traffic laws. The Thanksgiving Holiday (6 p.m., Wednesday, November 27, through 11:59 p.m., Sunday, December 1) is one of the busiest travel times of the year on our nation’s highways.