Highway patrol offers tips to ensure a smooth ride to your 4th of July destination

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Nearly 49 million people will be traveling to their 4th of July holiday destination and of that number more than 41 million are expected to travel by automobile.

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) says it will be out in full force monitoring driver behavior across the state. Those traveling at a high speed, following too close or failing to wear their seatbelts will be prime targets for state troopers.

“We want people to enjoy this holiday season but safety doesn’t happen by accident,” said NCSHP Public/Traffic Safety Information Trooper Eric Mellott.

Removing impaired drivers from the roadway as soon as possible is a priority with the NCSHP.

“We want to make sure people are not on the roads and being unsafe with impaired driving,” said Mellott. “We actually had to go back to be retrained to learn how to detect other impairing drugs, certainly opioids and marijuana are on the short list but the list goes on from there.”

The NCSHP will also team up with the Wildlife Resources Commission’s Law Enforcement Division for the annual On the Road/On the Water campaign targeting impaired motorists on both roadways and waterways.

The NCSHP recommends the following tips to prevent highway accidents.

• Reduce your speed.
• Ensure all occupants wear a seatbelt.
• Avoid driving while impaired by using a ride service, taxi or designated driver.
• Plan your trip before you leave home. Visit DriveNC.gov to identify road closures and other trouble spots along your chosen routes.
• If you encounter another driver who is showing off or trying to get you to keep up with them, let them pass around you.
• If you are involved in a collision, safely move your damaged vehicle to the side of the road. If there are injuries, immediately contact 911 or *47.

If you will be driving a long-distance, Mellott offers these suggestions:

• Make sure you have adequate rest or a good night’s sleep before leaving for your destination.
• Keep an ample supply of drinking water and other snacks on board in case your vehicle breaks down and you’re stranded along the road until help arrives.
• Ensure your spare tire is properly inflated and necessary equipment is available for changing a tire in a remote location.
• Keep cell phones charged.

On June 28, the NCSHP celebrated its 90th anniversary of patrol service.

“We celebrated on the Capitol grounds in Raleigh and we had some of the old vehicles,” Mellott said. “It was one of the biggest spreads I’ve seen in 20 years of being with the highway patrol.”

During the last 90 years, 66 members have given their lives in the line of duty while keeping the state safe. When the highway patrol began in 1929, it had 27 original patrolmen and has now grown to approximately 1,400 sworn members.