For Release: Immediate  Date: June 27, 2000

Contact:  F/Sgt. Jeff Winstead Phone:  (919) 733-5027 (ext. 238)

RALEIGH -- The N.C. Highway Patrol will target some of the state's most dangerous highways during the upcoming Independence holiday. Working with the Department of Transportation, the Patrol has identified the 25 highway corridors in North Carolina which have had the most crashes on them during July Fourth holiday periods for the past five years. The Patrol has targeted those roads for selective enforcement during the holiday period.

"Our goal is to reduce the number of crashes on our highways," said Bryan E. Beatty, secretary of the

N. C. Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, which oversees the Highway Patrol. "The Patrol will also be using sobriety check points throughout the state during the entire holiday period."

The 25 roads with the most crashes are in the following counties: Mecklenburg (3), Carteret (3), Brunswick (2), Johnston (2), Dare (2), Wake (2), Haywood, Columbus, Burke, New Hanover, Robeson, Union, Onslow, Nash, Orange, Durham, and Guilford. From 1996 to 2000 during the July Fourth holiday period, there were 473 crashes, 410 injuries, and seven fatalities on these roads. (A listing of these roads and the numbers of crashes, injuries and fatalities is attached to this news release.)

"We're not asking you not to have fun. We're asking you to be responsible as you celebrate and when you travel," said Colonel Richard W. Holden, commander of the State Highway Patrol. "This mid-summer holiday can be a lot of fun and good-times for families, but it can quickly turn into a senseless tragedy if you are involved in a highway crash."

Highway Patrol Troopers will be participating in Operation CARE, for Combined Accident Reduction Effort. CARE is a nationwide program in which highway patrol and state police agencies increase their visibility during the holiday period in an effort to prevent crashes. During the July Fourth holiday, the patrol will be conducting sobriety checkpoints throughout the state in conjunction with the state's "Booze It and Loose It" anti drunk driving campaign.

"We put a lot of effort into our safety campaigns, but it's because we care and we want to make sure you have a safe and enjoyable holiday," said Secretary Beatty. "I encourage everyone to give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination, take frequent rest stops, and of course, obey our traffic laws.

The July Fourth holiday weekend officially begins at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 3rd and ends at midnight, Wednesday, July 4th. Statewide last year, there were 1,817 crashes, 1,424 injuries, and 27 fatalities during the official holiday period.

Citizens can report highway problems to the Patrol by dialing *HP (*47) on their cellular phones. The toll-free call goes directly to the nearest Highway Patrol communication center.

Traffic Safety Systems Management Unit
Traffic Engineering and Safety Systems Branch
North Carolina Department of Transportation

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