HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS-NORTH CAROLINA
Nearly 1.59 million Carolinians are expected on the road this weekend, an increase of 3 percent over last year. The average cost for a gallon of gasoline this weekend will be $2.20. That's down 7 cents from last Thanksgiving, when a gallon cost $2.27. Also, travelers are seeing relief with the cost of gasoline down 60 cents a gallon since September, when a gallon averaged $2.80. North Carolina travelers will find the most expensive gasoline in Asheville at $2.25 a gallon. The cheapest gasoline, $2.16 a gallon, is in Winston-Salem.
But motorists need to watch out while they are on the roads, the North Carolina Highway Patrol warns. State troopers will be targeting speeders and aggressive drivers on North Carolina interstates and major four lane highways.
The Thanksgiving holiday weekend officially begins 6 p.m. Wednesday and ends at midnight Sunday. Last year, 23 motorists were killed on North Carolina highways during the holiday. "I have instructed our troopers to crack down on speeders this holiday weekend," Colonel W. Fletcher Clay, commander of the N.C. Highway Patrol, said in a news release. "Speed is the leading cause of fatal collisions on our highways. Getting to your destination safely should be your No. 1 goal. Don't try to cut off a few minutes of your drive time by speeding or driving aggressively. It's just not worth it."
During the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the highway patrol will also be participating in the state's Booze It and Lose It anti-drunk driving campaign. Sobriety checkpoints are being set up throughout the state this week.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation will suspend most road construction work that could affect travel during the Thanksgiving holiday to help ease traffic delays and make driving conditions safer, according to a news release.
Major construction projects along interstate and U.S. routes in the state were suspended at 4 p.m. Tuesday and will stay suspended until 9 a.m. Monday.
A DOT news release stated that motorists should remember that even though workers may not be present in the majority of work zones, motorists can still encounter narrowed lanes and traffic shifts. The fine for speeding through a marked work zone is $250.
Motorists should also remember to move over when passing stopped emergency vehicles. Under the "Move Over" law, drivers are required to change lanes or slow down when passing stopped law enforcement and emergency vehicles.
Nationally, AAA estimates that 38.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday season, prompted by the decreased cost in gasoline.