Police will be out in force prior to the Memorial Day holiday on U.S. Route 4, which crosses across the state for 107 miles from Lebanon to Portsmouth.

“Route 4 is a busy road for drivers commuting for work and pleasure from the Upper Valley to the Capital Region, and from cities and towns on the Seacoast to Maine,” said New Hampshire Department of Safety Assistant Commissioner Eddie Edwards. “During this effort, we hope drivers will be educated about the risks of poor decision-making behind the wheel.”

During the effort, which began Tuesday, the New Hampshire Office of Highway Safety will collaborate with state, county, and local law enforcement agencies, “to deter and detect dangerous driving behaviors, including speeding and distraction,” police said.

From 2018 to 2023, more than 32,000 crashes occurred on the stretch of the corridor from the Capital Region to the Seacoast, according to data from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. During the five-year span, the highest number of crashes were recorded in and around Concord, Portsmouth, Rockingham County, Strafford County, and Merrimack County, police said.

The “high visibility” enforcement effort is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through grants.