N.C.’s Operation ‘Drive to Live’ Focuses on Teen Driver Safety

North Carolina state and local law enforcement officials alongside First Lady Mary Easley kicked off Operation Drive to Live last week.

The N.C. Department of Crime Control and Public Safety and the Highway Patrol sponsored the initiative to reduce traffic collisions and fatalities among teen drivers. This month’s campaign will focus on 10 counties in the Triangle.

“We have lost 22 teens in traffic crashes in the Triangle this year, 10 in Johnston County alone,” said Easley. “I applaud the State Highway Patrol for conducting the Operation Drive to Live campaign and working with students and parents to prevent young people from making poor decisions behind the wheel that rob them of their potential and their future.”

Since 2004, 530 teenagers have been killed on North Carolina highways. Many collisions involving teenage drivers occur during their commute to and from high school. Speed is the leading cause of teenage traffic deaths.

During Operation Drive to Live, troopers will be enforcing all traffic laws around schools and conducting traffic safety education programs in high schools in Wake, Wayne, Nash, Wilson, Johnston, Durham, Franklin, Chatham, Lee and Harnett counties.

Troopers will be looking for violations such as speeding, following too closely, careless and reckless driving and any violation of the motor vehicle laws that can result in serious injury or death.

Other partners in the campaign include: Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD); Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD); the Governor’s Highway Safety Program; the Wake and Johnston County Sheriff’s departments; Raleigh Police Department; North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force; Alcohol Law Enforcement; State Farm Insurance and N.C. Action for Children.

Source: Office of the Governor of North Carolina

Topics Personal Auto North Carolina