Annual Thanksgiving I-40 Challenge

Troopers in California, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina are participating in the effort that aims to achieve zero fatalities along the 2,559 miles of interstate during Thanksgiving.

State troopers on I-40 from coast to coast will be out in force over the Thanksgiving holiday period as part of the annual Thanksgiving I-40 Challenge, an eight-state initiative to combat unsafe driving during one of the most heavily-traveled periods of the year.

Drivers should expect to see a trooper at least every 20 miles from Wednesday, Nov. 21, through Sunday, Nov. 25.

According to AAA, 54.3 million Americans are expected to travel during Thanksgiving, an increase over last year’s numbers.

“Our mission is simple; reduce needless collisions in hopes of reporting zero fatalities statewide,” said Col. Glenn McNeill Jr., commander of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, in a statement.