NC Highway Patrol stresses safety while having fun over Fourth of July

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — Many towns and cities across Eastern North Carolina are preparing to celebrate the Fourth of July Thursday.

That means busy roads as locals and tourists will be traveling over the next few days. Experts said it comes down to basics to remain safe.

North Carolina State Highway Patrol Master Trooper Rico Stephens advised drivers to make sure they obey the rules of the roads and not to speed, as well as, be responsible if drinking alcohol.

“You’re not only risking your life, but you’re risking, unfortunately, the lives of the other motorists on the highways. We just really want to discourage anyone from doing that. And there’s really no excuse for it nowadays,” Master Trooper Stephens said. “You know, you’ve got services such as rideshare, a designated driver, or if you’re at a gathering where there’s going to be alcohol, that house needs to make plans to prepare to get their guests back to the location safely.”

Another thing to keep in mind is to be on the lookout for pedestrians while driving and if you are planning to walk somewhere, make sure you are in a well-lit area.

The Highway Patrol will have available troopers out on the road to help make sure everyone has a fun and safe Fourth of July.

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