Troopers challenged to prevent Thanksgiving traffic fatalities

Courtney Allen and her family will make the roughly four-hour drive from Raleigh to Ashville this Thanksgiving. It’s a trip the family makes often, and Allen is familiar with the roads and mindful of hazards.

“Well, I think the biggest thing would be the cell phone use while driving, the texting, or just not paying attention due to cell phone use,” said Allen.

State Trooper Christ Knox said cell phone use is one of many offenses state troopers will be on the lookout for over the holiday.

“We’ll be targeting the speeding, the distracted driving, the alcohol use,” he said.

The crackdown is all part of the Interstate Challenge Campaign, which has a goal of zero traffic fatalities from Wednesday through Thursday. To make it work, a trooper or local officer will be placed strategically along major interstates. Trooper Knox is confident that kind of visibility will make a difference.

“We know that by us being there and being seen and that threat of getting that several hundred dollar citation, that we can make a difference in preventing collisions,” said Knox.

Knox said Highway Patrol officers expect Wednesday and Sunday to be the heaviest days for travel with people coming and going to their destinations. He said every trooper available during those days, including himself, will be working.