Fourth of July barbecues can be plenty of fun, but police are urging drivers to party smart.
State Transportation Safety Director, Major Dan Lonsdorf, says officers will be out in force this weekend to make sure the roads remain safe. Over 250 agencies are participating in the annual "Over the Limit, Under Arrest" program, where police are looking for people who have had too much to drink or are driving aggressively.
Police will also be using Wisconsin's new primary enforcement seatbelt law to pull over drivers who still refuse to buckle up. Violators face a $10 fine.
Lonsdorf says the Fourth of July weekend remains one of the most dangerous times on the year, especially with the holiday falling on a Saturday this year. There were fifteen traffic fatalities during the holiday weekend in 2008.