RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina troopers will be cracking down on seat belt violations over Thanksgiving week as travel experts predict more people will be driving on the state’s roads.
The Governor’s Highway Safety Program announced Monday that it will hold a “Click It Or Ticket” program through Sunday. This year’s effort comes just months after the state set a record with seatbelt usage of more than 90 percent.
“If you are involved in a crash, wearing a seat belt reduces your risk of critical injury or death by 50 percent. Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the busy holiday travel season, and it is the perfect time to remind North Carolinians to buckle up no matter where in the car they sit,” Don Nail, director of the program, said in a statement.
About 1.2 million North Carolinians are expected to drive on the state’s roads this week, up about 50,000 from last year, according to AAA Carolinas.
The state Department of Transportation will help those travelers by suspending most construction projects on major highways from Tuesday afternoon through the weekend. The busiest days on North Carolina roads are expected to be Wednesday and Sunday.
Forecasters said Wednesday could be an especially messy travel day with rain expected across much of the state and snow in the mountains. Snow will also be likely in states to the north.
AAA Carolinas said this week’s travelers will find gas much less expensive. The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in North Carolina is $2.77, 46 cents less than last Thanksgiving and 57 cents below the average price per gallon at Labor Day.
“Lower prices at the pump have encouraged more people to hit the road this Thanksgiving holiday to spend time with their family and friends,” AAA Carolinas President David E. Parsons said in a statement.
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