Police departments from 77 municipalities across Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties will conduct seat-belt enforcement activities as part of the national Thanksgiving “Click It or Ticket” enforcement mobilization, PennDot announced on Monday, Nov. 23.

The enforcement will occur from Nov. 23 to Nov. 30 on various roadways across the region. Many municipal police departments will conduct seat-belt and DUI enforcement at the same time, a PennDOT press release said.

PennDOT data from police reports shows that statewide in 2014, 383 people who died in vehicle crashes were unbuckled and 294 people died in crashes involving a drinking driver. Data also shows that this rate increases during nighttime hours.

PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards urged drivers to take steps now for a safe holiday travel period and winter season.

Richards announced a new tool on www.511PA.com that allows users to see how traffic speeds on the Wednesday before and Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2013 and 2014 compare to average traffic conditions.

“With Thanksgiving being one of the busiest travel periods during the year, it can be a challenge to decide when to begin your trip,” Richards said in the release. “This page is one more way we’re putting as much information as possible into drivers’ hands so they can make informed travel decisions.”

The “Historic Holiday Traffic” page allows users to choose their region and view an hour-by-hour, color-coded visual of how traffic speeds on these travel periods compare to the average speed at the same time and day of week. The information is provided for roughly 2,900 highway miles as part of the data supplying the statewide speed data for 511PA.

In addition to planning for traffic impacts, Richards noted that vehicle preparation is key to safe travel.

“Snowflakes may not be falling right now, but now is the time to make sure drivers and their vehicles are ready for emergencies on our roadways,” Richards said in the release. “Taking these steps will help us all start the winter season on the right foot.”

A properly trained mechanic should check your vehicle’s cooling system, battery, hoses, drive belts, tires and wiper blades to ensure they are in good condition and functioning properly. Throughout the season, motorists should also check all fluid levels, lights and wiper blades frequently.

Tires should also be checked often for the correct level of air pressure and adequate tire-tread depth to perform on ice and snow. A quick way to check tread depth is to insert a penny in the tread groove with Lincoln’s head upside down. If you can see the entire head, the tires are worn and traction will suffer.

Vehicles should contain an emergency kit, which includes items such as non-perishable food, water, first-aid supplies, warm clothes, a blanket, cell phone charger and a small snow shovel. Some drivers should consider adding baby supplies, extra medication, pet supplies, or even children's games.

“Weather and road conditions can quickly take a turn for the worse during winter months,” Richard D. Flinn, Jr., director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, said in the release. “Motorists should anticipate traffic delays and allow plenty of time to get where they’re going, and restock their emergency kit immediately after using items in it.”