NCHP Targeting Work Zone Crashes On I-40

In an attempt to reduce personal injuries and wrongful deaths, the North Carolina Highway Patrol is launching a campaign called Operation Drive Smart in hopes of slowing drivers through work zones in Sampson and Duplin counties.

A release from the North Carolina Department of Transportation said that the effort will be focused on a 20-mile stretch of Interstate 40 that is being refurbished. The release said the goal is to increase the safety of road work zones.

The release said that in 2009, 2,125 work zone crashes were reported, resulting in 11 reported deaths. More than 75 percent of those crashes occurred during daylight hours.

The release said the campaign is in effect through April 25.