CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The North Carolina State Highway Patrol will take part in the Thanksgiving I-40 Challenge along with seven other states along the I-40 corridor. Troopers will be placed every 20 miles along the major interstate beginning November 21st.
There were 2,746 crashes in North Carolina resulting in 1,213 injuries and 23 fatalities during the Thanksgiving holiday period in 2017, which is unfortunately up from the year before.
According to AAA Carolinas, nearly 2.5 million people in North and South Carolina will travel at least 50 miles for Thanksgiving.
The Thanksgiving travel period is from Wednesday, November 21st until Sunday, November 25th.
The vast majority, about 90%, will travel by motor vehicle. AAA advises motorists to drive with caution and be prepared for heavy traffic.
“Despite higher gas prices than last year, we expect Carolinians to hit the road in record numbers this Thanksgiving holiday to spend time with their family and friends,” said Dave Parsons, president and CEO of AAA Carolinas. “With Thanksgiving being the busiest travel weekend of the year, we want to remind families to take extra measures to ensure safety on the highways.”
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after Thanksgiving are the most popular travel days. AAA suggests planning your travel around these days, with Thanksgiving day is the best day to be on the roads.
Thanksgiving eve has become a notorious night for binge drinking, as family and friends reconnect for the holidays. Infamously known as “Blackout Wednesday,” celebrators often over-drink, which also leads to drunk driving.
“Blackout Wednesday, also known as “Drinksgiving” rivals New Year’s Eve and St. Patrick’s Day,” said AAA Carolinas Traffic Safety Foundation President, Tiffany Wright. “With so many ride sharing services available such as Uber and Lyft, there is no excuse for getting behind the wheel after drinking alcohol.”
