CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — The North Carolina Highway Patrol’s “Operation Firecracker” is going on across the state, aiming to curb speeders and drunk drivers this Fourth of July.
Along Interstate 40, troopers told Channel 9’s Dave Faherty they made 17 traffic stops in the first 40 minutes of the operation.
They are targeting major roads in Catawba County, including Interstate 40, Highway 321, and Highway 16.
Officials say their goal is to be more visible throughout the holiday weekend to prevent people from getting hurt.
In North Carolina, there were over 1,600 traffic fatalities in 2022, according to an North Carolina Department of Transportation report. There were 31 deaths in Catawba County alone.
“We’re seeing a lot of high speed — I think the top speed right now is over 98 miles per hour and that’s entirely too fast for the Fourth of July weekend,“ 1st Sgt. Bobby Lineberger said. ”It’s entirely too fast for everyday out here.”
The operation is part of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program. It will continue through the holiday weekend.
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