Troopers increase patrolling on Highway 17 in Pender Co.

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The Highway Patrol said troopers have a greater presence on Highway 17 in Pender County after several fatal crashes last year and they say it is making a difference.

We started riding with a trooper at 9:00 in the morning on Christmas Eve. One after the other, at least four people were pulled over for speeding in the 45 mph in a one hour.

“Any road we work, speed is generally an issue,” Wilson said.

Wilson said something else is an even bigger issue on Highway 17.

“Failure to reduce speed or people trying to make left turns out of neighborhoods or businesses across two or three lanes of traffic,” Wilson said.

These problems contributed to six deaths and 244 crashes here in 2014.

“It’s tough responding to that kind of stuff, but after 13 years it’s bad to say but you kind of get callous to that kind of stuff because you’ve got a job to do,” Wilson said.

He said one part of that job, though is never easy.

“When children get hurt,” Wilson said. “Especially knowing I have an 8-year-old at home, having to tell mama or daddy their child has been hurt or killed. You know that hits home every time.”

That is why troopers and sheriff’s deputies made patrolling 17 a bigger part of their job this year.

“I think we’ve done a fine job,” Wilson said.

He said it is not always easy.

“We have 12 members and we have to work the whole county 24 hours a day 7 days a week,” Wilson said. “If I’m on a wreck in Atkinson, it’s hard for me to do any patrolling on 17.”

Now, they need your help.

“When you’re driving pay attention to driving,” Wilson said.

He said most of these troopers are not just a part of the law enforcement here that have a job to do. They are a part of this community too.

“Don’t pay attention to eating or the radio or anything like that,” Wilson said. “Pay attention to the car in front of you.”

The Highway Patrol said, while crashes have increased this year on 17, so far there has only been one fatal accident.