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Gas down, patrols up
HICKORY, Sep 03, 2010 (Hickory Daily Record - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
With the Labor Day holiday upon us, there's good news about declining gasoline prices, and a note of caution about driving on the hectic roads.
AAA Carolinas estimates that approximately 930,000 North Carolinians are expected to travel during the long weekend, with about 70,000 of them expected to vacation more than 50 miles from home. All estimates are based on numbers prior to forecasts of Hurricane Earl. Tropical weather may impact driving and flying, AAA said. Keep track of coastal weather updates from the N.C. Department of Transportation at
www.ncdot.gov/travel/twitter.
Travelers heading to the coast this weekend should pay close attention to forecasts, warnings and evacuations prior to hitting the road, AAA officials said.
However, driving will be cheaper than earlier this summer. North Carolina prices average $2.58 for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline, down 11 cents from the summer peak Aug. 11 and 16 cents lower than Memorial Day gasoline prices.
Retail gasoline prices typically do not drop until after Labor Day.
"Travel by Carolinians has been increasing all year and this holds true for the last vacation of the summer," said David E. Parsons, president and CEO of AAA Carolinas.
Falling gas prices, numerous hotel and travel package deals, and the last hurrah for summer vacation are contributing to 92 percent of travelers, or 861,000 people, driving to their Labor Day holiday destinations.
The average gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in North Carolina is 6 cents higher than this time last year. The most expensive gasoline in the state is in Boone at $2.65 and the least expensive is in Fayetteville at $2.54, according to AAA.
Motorists taking a trip can budget estimated gas costs for their personal vehicles on
www.fuelcostcalculator.com.
There also will be an increase law enforcement presence on all the interstates in North Carolina.
Checkpoints in place
Last year, there were 1,026 crashes, 456 injuries and seven fatalities investigated by the Highway Patrol statewide during the Labor Day holiday period.
Booze It & Lose It checkpoints will be up throughout the long weekend, according to state officials. In addition, more State Troopers will be looking for speeders, aggressive drivers and people who aren't wearing seatbelts.
The impaired-driving initiative, Booze It & Lose It, is part of the Governor's Highway Safety Program to get drunk drivers off the roads. Over the July 4th holiday, 1,291 motorists were cited for driving while impaired during the campaign.
Aggressive drivers account for the majority of the traffic collisions that occur on the state roadways, according to state officials.
The Highway Patrol defines an aggressive driver as one who flagrantly violates motor vehicle laws, including but not limited to excessive speeding, following too closely, erratic lane changes, safe movement violations, and other forms of reckless endangerment.
Troopers will join other law enforcement agencies at "Click-It or Ticket" seatbelt checkpoints across the state throughout the week.
They'll also participate in the national Combined Accident Reduction Effort.
C.A.R.E. involves high visibility patrols designed to prevent crashes and ensure voluntary compliance with motor vehicle laws.
The Labor Day holiday weekend officially begins at 6 p.m. today and ends at midnight Monday.
The N.C. Department of Transportation said most highways will be unobstructed this holiday, with few exceptions.
For more information, check:
www.ncdot.org/traffictravel for real-time updates. You can also call 511 for automated travel alerts.
Report highway problems to the Highway Patrol by dialing (ASTERISK)HP (star-47) on cellular phones. The toll-free call goes to the nearest Highway Patrol communication center.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
To see more of the Hickory Daily Record or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to
http://www.hickoryrecord.com. Copyright (c) 2010, Hickory Daily Record, N.C.
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