As the long weekend approaches police are ready for an increase in volume and flow of traffic on highways throughout the province and close to home.

Staff Sergeant Robin Alexander with the High River RCMP want people to know that they'll be out in full force looking for more than just impaired drivers.

"We'll be out, both on the highways and in town, and a little more vigilant than usual just because it is a long weekend. We'll be doing regular checks, and a little bit more on the enforcement side of things than we normally do."

He says they'll be focusing on distracted driving, seat belt infractions and adds a ticket for distracted driving will cost you $287 and three demerit points.

"We're really focused on distracted driving and we remain focused on that. That's really causing a lot of injury accidents and occasionally fatalities. We certainly look at seat belts and intersection related violations, those things that rate high against injury collisions is what we tend to focus on."

He says he expects there will be several distracted driving violations, and adds he hopes people start getting the message.

"We're still not past the point where people are turning off their handheld devices or ignoring it when they get notification of a text. That's going to take like seat belts, a probably a protracted period of enforcement before that message finally gets through."

He says they will also be conducting sporadic check-stops at different times of the day and night and at various locations throughout the area.