Officers issue 43K tickets in statewide safety blitz

Nearly 43,000 traffic and criminal citations were handed out by law enforcement officers across the state during a weeklong safety campaign last month, officials announced Thursday.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation released the results of the “No Need 2 Speed” campaign, which ran March 25 to 31. The data shows 14,542 tickets were issued for speeding, 3,157 citations for safety belt violations, 587 citations for child passenger safety violations and 1,111 drug charges.

Officers also captured 929 fugitives and 51 stolen vehicles.

“Law enforcement’s presence on our roads is imperative to reminding motorists to obey speed limits, and we greatly appreciate their dedication to keeping our roads safe,” said Becky Wallace, director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program, which coordinated the campaign.

Wake County had the most total violations with 4,153, followed by Mecklenburg County with 3,224.