NATCHEZ — Officials with the Mississippi Highway Patrol say severe weather during the holiday period was to blame for a higher than usual number of crashes and other incidents on Mississippi’s highways.

MHP Troop M, which covers Adams and adjacent counties, investigated 16 collisions between 6 p.m. Dec. 23 and midnight Sunday. Only one of those incidents was alcohol-related.

Four injuries were reported from the Troop M coverage area collisions.

The troop made 10 DUI arrests and three drug arrests, wrote 25 tickets for drivers not wearing seat belts and one child restraint ticket.

During the holiday period, the troop responded to 226 general hazard reports on the highways, as well as 106 non-hazard reports.

Statewide, troopers responded to a total of 250 that resulted in 81 injuries. Ten of those collisions were deemed alcohol-related.

Four of the collisions statewide resulted in a total of five fatalities. Two of the victims were wearing seat belts. Two others involved pedestrians who were struck by motorists.