Troopers are out every 20 miles on I-40 for Thanksgiving week travel

With Thanksgiving week being one of the busiest holidays for travel, the State Highway Patrol is beefing up its presence to monitor driver behavior.

Law enforcement will be out in full force during the holiday.

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol will take part in the Thanksgiving 1-40 Challenge - a joint operation among seven other states along the 1-40 corridor.

It started November 21, and through the holiday weekend, troopers will be placed every 20 miles along the major interstate.

Last year in North Carolina, there were 3,805 crashes resulting in 22 fatalities and 1,481 injuries during the Thanksgiving holiday period.

Last year during the Thanksgiving holiday, AAA Carolinas rescued approximately 8,400 motorists, with the primary reasons being dead batteries, flat tires and lockouts.

The Highway Patrol offers some tips for safe and responsible travel during the holiday weekend.

• Plan Ahead - Expect delays and plan to use alternate routes

• Reduce Speed - Speeding is still the leading cause of traffic collisions

• Increase Following Distances - A two-second lead time among vehicles is encouraged

• Avoid Distracted Driving - Driver focus should be solely on driving

• Never Drive Impaired - Plan ahead; designate a sober driver, use a taxi or contact a ride service

• Lane Clearance - If involved in a collision without injury, remove vehicles to shoulder

Motorists can also assist by contacting *HP if they observe impaired or reckless driving.

NOTE: Video is from a previous report