Seven died on N.C. roads over holiday

The number was down sharply from the 21 fatalities over the 2007 Thanksgiving weekend, authorities said.

The holiday travel period began at 6 p.m. Wednesday and ended at midnight Sunday.

Also, troopers issued 18, 477 speeding citations during "Operation Slow Down," which began Nov. 17 and ended Sunday, authorities said.

Troopers have also started the holiday "Booze It and Lose It" campaign to crack down on drunken driving. State and local law enforcement will conduct checkpoints until Jan. 4 to try to get impaired drivers off the road.

During last year's campaign, 165 North Carolina drivers were involved in fatal wrecks. Nearly one-third of those were alcohol-related, authorities said.