As the thanksgiving long-weekend starts Friday, don't be surprised to see a large RCMP presence on Alberta highways.

With six deaths during the Labour Day long weekend Constable Hal Turnbull is hoping drivers take all the necessary precautions when heading out this weekend.

"We want to make sure Albertans are getting to their destinations safely, they're going to be able to spend time with their loved ones and their family and friends and enjoy the thanksgiving weekend," he says. "We're out in full force, enforcing the laws making sure our highways are safe."

Turnbull emphasizes the importance of having no distractions on the road as traffic continues to build up during the weekend.

"You have an increase of traffic volume, but in addition to that you have an increase of people who are driving our highways who aren't familiar of where they are or where they're going and because of that they make little mistakes and if you're not paying attention to what's happening in front of you and things happen very quickly when you're driving on the highway."

Turnbull says he doesn't want any of his colleagues in the first responders department to deal with what they had to with during the September long weekend.

"There have been 172 fatal motor vehicle collisions on provincial highways, within the RCMP jurisdictions of Alberta," he says. "These 172 crashes have resulted in 193 deaths, the labour day long weekend this weekend had six people die on our highways, one is too many but six is just tragic."

Turnbull reminds everyone driving to their Thanksgiving dinner to make sure you have a designated driver planned long before you arrive at your destination.