The North Carolina State Highway Patrol along with fellow troopers across the country are once again joining forces with the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the United States Department of Transportation by participating in the national Drive to Save Lives campaign. The campaign will consist of 16 State Highway Patrol and State Police agencies along the I-95 corridor; a major travel corridor along the east coast.
The Interstate 95 traffic initiative will begin on Dec. 26 and end at midnight on Dec. 31. Christmas/New Year’s holiday periods are among the busiest long-distance travel periods of the year. More than 33,000 deaths occur each year on our nation’s highways, allowing highway fatalities to rank within the top 12 causes of death within the United States and be the leading cause of death among teens.
The implementation of this on-going campaign is a combined effort between state police and highway patrol leaders along the I-95 corridor with the goal of reducing highway traffic fatalities. The campaign will focus on the use of seat-belts and speeding; and targets impaired and distracted driving on highways. State police and highway patrol leaders are working to change the high-risk behaviors of motorists that lead to crashes through education and awareness, partnerships, and high-visibility traffic enforcement.
Another major element of the Drive to Save Lives campaign emphasizes officer safety. Traffic-related incidents are the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths of law enforcement officers.
“We are very proud to initiate this combined campaign with our fellow states in an effort to reduce highway fatalities.” said Colonel Bill Grey, commander of the North Carolina Highway Patrol. “It is beneficial that all state agencies work together in order to guarantee safe travel on our nation’s roadways.” Photo by John Payne
