St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program is reminding holiday travelers to use caution on the roads on the evening of one of the country’s busiest holiday.

Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times of the year, and more people on the road increases the likelihood of a crash. During the 2014 Thanksgiving weekend alone, 341 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes nationwide, and 50 percent were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the fatal crash. And for those Thanksgiving weekend crashes that occurred at night, the percentage of unbuckled occupants killed jumped to an unsettling 58 percent, a release from the organization says.

“Half of all drivers and passengers killed in crashes on Thanksgiving weekend in 2014 weren’t wearing seat belts at the time of their fatal crash,” said Mary Davison, Traffic Safety Information Specialist for the St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program. “This statistic is staggering when we know seat belt use is one of the simplest ways to stay safe when you’re in a vehicle.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that proper seat belt use reduces the risk of fatal injury to front seat passengers by 45 percent, and the risk of moderate to serious injury by 50 percent. In 2014, approximately 12,802 people survived crashes because they were buckled up. If everyone had worn their seat belts that year, an additional 2,814 lives could have been saved.

Besides buckling up, the Traffic Safety Program is offering the following tips to help motorists stay safe on the highways:

• Be prepared. Check 511 NY to find out travel conditions across New York State, or check the National Weather Service at http://www.weather.gov/ for general weather conditions across the US. Adjust your travel plans accordingly.

• Watch your speed. The faster you go, the harder it is to stop and the greater the force of any collision.

• Stay alert. Don’t drive when fatigued. Set vehicle controls, GPS, and music before you head out. Put your phone away, and keep your focus on the road. New York has text/rest stops along the highway where you can safely use your devices.

• Don’t drive drunk or impaired by drugs. Even small amounts of alcohol can affect judgement and reaction time. Many over-the-counter and prescription medicines cause dizziness and/or drowsiness. Follow all warning labels for medications, and talk to your pharmacist or doctor about possible drug interactions.

• Share the road. Commercial vehicles and buses have blind spots directly behind and alongside them. If you can’t see the driver’s face in their rear-view mirror, the driver can’t see you. Don’t drive in a blind spot. Slow down or move ahead to stay visible.

• Slow down for emergency vehicles that are stopped along the road. When possible, move into the lane away from these vehicles. This currently applies to vehicles with red or amber lights, and effective January 2017, it will apply to those with blue or green flashing lights. Use due care and don’t “rubberneck” when you see vehicles stopped along the road.