Highway Patrol to step up enforcement over holiday weekend

Those who will be driving around this July Fourth weekend will be under the watchful eye of the N.C. Highway Patrol, which is implementing a “Booze It & Lose It: Operation Firecracker” highway safety program.

“Basically, we’re going to be stepping up enforcement on alcohol (offenses), as well as speeding,” trooper J.W. Crissman said. “We’re trying to look out for impaired drivers and get them off the roadways.”

He said he expects checkpoints throughout the daytime and evening hours in the Twin Counties during the holiday weekend.

“We’re really looking at (people not wearing) seat belts and alcohol-related offenses,” he said.

Gov. Bev Perdue recently announced that state and local law enforcement officers will be out in full force over the Fourth of July holiday as part of the “Booze It & Lose It” campaign. According to the governor’s Web site, checkpoints and stepped-up patrols will be conducted from June 29 through July 5 across the state in an effort to remove impaired drivers from the roads.

“Too many people fail to understand that alcohol and driving don’t mix. Impaired driving is no accident, nor is it a victimless crime,” Perdue said in the press release.

There were 377 alcohol-related crashes, 322 with injuries and 12 that resulted in fatalities over the Independence Day week last year.

Officers charged more than 1,900 North Carolina motorists with driving while impaired during the 2008 “Booze It & Lose It” campaign.

Gasoline prices in North Carolina have been decreasing daily for nearly two weeks, but holiday road travel for July Fourth still is expected to be nearly 3 percent lower than last year, according to AAA Carolinas.

More than one million North Carolinians will travel 50 miles or more from home this weekend. Gas prices have been dropping since June 20 and are down more than 5 cents from their high of $2.66, after 51 straight days of increases.

However, economic woes, unemployment and uncertainty about the future have contributed to a drop in expected motorists this July Fourth holiday from 971,000 to 945,000, a drop of 2.7 percent, a AAA Carolinas press release stated.

Air travel is expected to increase 5.4 percent with 59,000 passengers taking to the skies, compared with 56,000 in 2008.

It is the second straight year that July 4th holiday travel overall is expected to decline, with last year’s gas prices hovering near the $4-a-gallon mark.

“Economic uncertainty, combined with the recent 66-cent increase in gasoline prices over 51 days and the July Fourth holiday falling on a Saturday have all helped weaken motorist travel,” said David E. Parsons, president and CEO of AAA Carolinas in a press release. “Airfares are lower this year and pent up demand for quick, long distance travel will boost airline travel.”

Parsons said travelers will find special holiday offers and discounts this holiday weekend at hotels and attractions.

“Almost all travelers will find discounts, special holiday offers and upgrades at hotels and attractions,” Parsons said. “The travel industry is still hoping to spur summer travel despite high unemployment in the region.”