Teen driving crackdown begins in Johnston County

The North Carolina Highway Patrol will be watching Johnston County teen drivers especially closely this week.

Troopers will step up patrols around county high schools and will hold traffic safety programs inside schools.

The effort, called Operation Drive to Live in Johnston County, is a reaction to ta recent spate of collisions involving county teens. Johnston County led the state last year with 11 teen traffic fatalities.

The Highway Patrol effort is one of a number of initiatives aimed at improving teen driver safety in the county.

County Commissioner Tony Braswell plans to host a forum of elected officials, law enforcement officials, school representatives, students, parents, state Department of Transportation officials, fire department members, emergency services providers and the general public to discuss various strategies and how best to implement them.

The Town of Smithfield will offer free defensive-driving courses to county teens beginning in November. Teens or their parents should call the Town of Smithfield at 919-934-2116 to sign up for the class.