Memorial Day 2018: Traffic Tips for North Carolina Highways

MOORESVILLE, NC -- Memorial Day weekend kicks off summer and one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. According to AAA, nearly 42 million drivers be traveling this holiday weekend, up 5 percent over last year.

Without a game plan, drivers can easily fall into traffic jams and delays.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation issued travel advice to update drivers before they leave home how best to avoid travel delays, including plans for construction projects statewide. North Carolina law enforcement will also be stepping up seat belt enforcement with a "Click It or Ticket" campaign scheduled to run May 21 through June 3.

According to DOT, while deaths among people not wearing seat belts have decreased 4.5 percent from this time last year, unrestrained serious injuries are up by 32 percent in North Carolina from 2016 to 2017.

In North Carolina, all vehicle passengers are required to be properly restrained, and fines for not wearing a seat belt are punishable by fines up to $179.

Children younger than 8 years old must be restrained in a child safety seat or booster seat, unless they’re taller than 4 foot 9 inches. If they’re not, the driver faces a fine of up to $250 and court costs, DOT said.

The bulk of Memorial Day travelers — nearly 37 million of them — will be hitting the road this holiday weekend, according to AAA.

“The highest gas prices since 2014 won’t keep travelers home this Memorial Day weekend,” said Bill Sutherland, senior vice president, AAA Travel and Publishing. “A strong economy and growing consumer confidence are giving Americans all the motivation they need to kick off what we expect to be a busy summer travel season with a Memorial Day getaway.”

SEE ALSO: North Carolina Gas Prices Surge Before Memorial Day

One thing North Carolina drivers have to look forward to is that NCDOT will be suspending most of its major road construction projects on interstates, state and U.S. highways beginning 6 a.m. Friday, May 25 through midnight, Tuesday, May 29.

DOT warns, however there will be some exceptions, including:

• I-85 will have two of four lanes closed nightly between Exit 173 (Cole Mill Road) and Exit 178 (U.S. 70);
• I-85 between Henderson and the Virginia state line will continue to have traffic in a two-lane, two-way pattern;
• I-40 westbound near Mocksville will continue to have its right lane closed for paving and patching between mile markers 173 and 168;
• Construction lanes will still be narrowed on I-77 near Mooresville from Exit 36 to Exit 11 going both directions;
• U.S. 421 will have two of four lanes closed in both directions near Wilkesboro;
• Cape Fear Memorial Bridge electrical and mechanical repairs will continue in Wilmington and one of two lanes will be closed for both directions of travel;
• I-26 will have a lane closed in both directions between mile markers 12 and 18 near Weaverville; and
• U.S. 74 near Columbus will have lanes closed in both directions between mile markers 168 and 174.

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NC State Highway Patrol is encouraging drivers to follow these suggestions:

• Expect delays - research routes in advance to include secondary routes, detours and possible road closures.
• Monitor speed - speeding is still the top contributing factor to vehicle collisions.
• Wear seatbelts - seatbelts must be worn in both front and back seats if available.
• Avoid road rage - use patience when driving and avoid other motorists who may contribute to road rage situations.
• Don't drive distracted - avoid any distraction(s) while driving that reduces your ability to drive safely
• Collision Reporting - motorists involved in a property damage collision are asked to remove their vehicles from the roadway to the shoulder or emergency strip. Motorists involved in injury-related collisions should immediately contact 911 or *HP (*47) for emergency assistance.
• Reporting dangerous drivers or other emergency situations- motorists are encouraged to dial *HP or 911.

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