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Published September 11, 2009, 08:45 AM

N.D. troopers say last weekend was busy

North Dakota Highway Patrol troopers say nice weather and lower gasoline prices may have encouraged more people to travel over the past holiday weekend.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota Highway Patrol troopers say nice weather and lower gasoline prices may have encouraged more people to travel over the past holiday weekend.

The patrol says it issued 1,106 citations over the Labor Day weekend, or 229 more than last year. A total of 781 were for speeding, compared with 567 last year.

The patrol also reported 36 drunken driving arrests, up 33 percent.

The state recorded three highway deaths over the holiday weekend. That brought the traffic death total at the start of the week to 97 for the year, or 26 more than last year.

Patrol Lt. Jody Skogen says many reasons for the increase ``go back to the person behind the wheel.' He says driver error is a factor. Skogen also says 70 percent of the victims were not wearing seat belts.

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