VIDALIA — Auto club AAA has projected that 33.2 million Americans will take to the highways this holiday weekend, and local officials are working to make sure that they obey the laws of the road in the Miss-Lou.

Vidalia Police Chief Ronnie G. “Tapper” Hendricks said the Vidalia police will double up their usual patrols.

“There is going to be a lot of traffic on the highway,” Hendricks said. “Carter Street is very congested.”

The Vidalia Police will especially be looking for seat belt and child restraint violations, Hendricks said.

Though Thanksgiving is not a holiday associated with heavy drinking, officials will also keep an eye out for drinking and driving violations.

“There are a lot of people from out of town, and they like to have a good time and social drink, and we just want to make sure they do not get on our highways and jeopardize anyone’s safety,” Hendricks said. “It’s not to hurt them it’s to help them.”

In Adams County, Sheriff Ronny Brown said because the sheriff’s office has received a special grant from the Mississippi Department of Public Safety to crack down on such violations, deputies will set up roadblocks to check for seat belt and DUI violations.

“We just have extra patrols out and want everybody to have a safe holiday,” Brown said.

Likewise, Natchez Police Chief Mike Mullins said city officers will have an eye out especially for erratic driving.

“We have made it without a serious accident the last few holidays, and we plan to continue that,” Mullins said.