Two campaigns this holiday season have as their goal to keep Picayune residents safe.

The first effort will be the “Click it or Ticket” campaign during Thanksgiving week. Picayune Police Lt. Chad Dorn said safety check points will be set up from Wednesday through Sunday on all of the major roads in Picayune.

Those roads include, U.S. 11, Mississippi 43 North and South, Memorial Boulevard, North and South Beech Streets, Jackson Landing Road and East and West Canal Streets.

Officers will be looking for seatbelt and child restraint use. DUI laws also will be enforced, Dorn said.

During late December and early January, officers will be participating in the “Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest” campaign, Dorn said. From Dec. 19, to Jan. 4, officers will be out conducting traffic safety checkpoints looking for drunk drivers, Dorn said.

According to a press release from the Picayune Police Department, 457 people died in vehicle accidents nationwide during the 2006 Thanksgiving holiday season. Of those accidents, 266 took place at night.

The release states that seatbelt use appears to be lower at night. Seatbelt use reduces the risk of fatal and moderate injuries by about half, according to the release.