How careful are you when you get behind the wheel? Maybe not as much as we should be.

This week the North Dakota Highway Patrol is stepping up enforcement of certain violations on roads in the Northwest region of the state.

Perry Olson has more...

(Perry Olson - KX News) It something most all of us do everyday...pull up to a stop sign or yield sign...do what we are instructed...and move on. It's that time we don't do it that can cause a problem...sometimes deadly.

(Kevin Houston - ND Highway Patrol) "You get involved in an intersection crash and it will be more violent and the injuries are greater and obviously there are more fatalities."


This week the emphasis for the Highway Patrol is making sure we keep it safe and legal on the road.

(Kevin) "You failed to stop at the sign on the frontage road."


Trooper Kevin Houston was on the road this morning patrolling for such violations and giving us a all a reminder to concentrate on the road...

(Kevin) "Right of way violations are, in my opinion, 100% operator error. It is a lack of paying attention to what they are doing and is operator error."


Cell phones, iPods, DVDs...they all can be a distraction behind the wheel and with a change in the weather approaching now is the time to make the effort to be safe.

(Kevin) "Like this highway, Highway 83 is a 70 miles an hour zone and you can't stop on a dime when it is icy or snowy out and you have to realize that when you are pulling out into the intersection. A stop sign violation is operator error. They just aren't taking the time to stop like they are supposed to and look!"


So take time to look and avoid conversations like this...

(Kevin) "Well you rolled through the stop sign back there..."


Perry Olson, KX News. VO CONTINUES Another point of emphasis this week is not driving around a stopped school bus.

Troopers are riding with buses this week and Highway Patrol cars are also tailing the buses watching for violations. watch the video | save this article / add to your favorites list