If you noticed a greater police presence on the streets and roadways this past weekend, it wasn’t your imagination.

Most police agencies in the state of Michigan, with the Michigan State Police in the vanguard, ramped up patrols in the days leading into the long Memorial Day weekend.

In fact, Operation C.A.R.E. (Crash Awareness and Reduction Efforts) got underway at 12:01 a.m. last Monday for the state police and will continue straight through until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Memorial Day. Last year, 10 fatal traffic crashes resulted in 10 deaths over the Memorial Day weekend.

According to MSP, Operation C.A.R.E. was formed to deter three causes of highway fatalities: aggressive driving, impaired driving and failure to use occupant restraints. Expect zero tolerance if you’re pulled over for any of the above.

Operation C.A.R.E. has been around for decades. State police and highway patrol agencies from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Quebec Police Force and the U.S. Virgin Islands will be participating in this life-saving traffic safety initiative, MSP says. It’s credited with saving many lives over the years.

So there you have it. Don’t be aggressive or impaired behind the wheel and remember to buckle up, ensuring everyone else in the vehicle does likewise.

The life you save might very well be your own.