Police intensify patrol as ski holiday begins

Friday kicks off the 2024 ski holiday season, with Finns in the southern part of the country beginning their holidays.

The roads will be busier than usual over the following weekends and urge the driver to adjust driving speeds to the prevailing weather conditions, said the National Police Board in a press release on Thursday.

As is the tradition, the police will hold an intensified control campaign across the country during weeks 8–10, when schools are closed for the ski holidays.

The police will focus their surveillance especially on busy sections of road, focusing on drunken driving, speeding and driving behaviour, such as too short safe driving distances, the use of seat belts and mobile phones, tyres in accordance with the weather conditions and vehicle condition and loading.

Police warn of bad road conditions at the start of ski holiday traffic.

”Weather forecasts show that heavy snowfall is expected from the afternoon until night. In bad driving conditions, it is even more important to adjust speeds to driving conditions and to use the rear fog lights. Safe travel should not be ruined by needless overtaking”, said Chief Superintendent Kari Siivo of the National Police Board.

Driver vigilance in traffic, as well as the functionality of the vehicle's lights and adequate safe driving distances are emphasised during the winter season.