During the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol reminds drivers to buckle up and observe the rules of the road. Most road construction will be suspended over the long holiday weekend, but authorities remind drivers those areas can still be problem spots for crashes, and they provided some examples.

One of those areas is along Highway 150 in Catawba County in July where a crash killed a worker who was moving traffic cones. A co-worker was also injured during that incident. In addition, another potential problem spot is Interstate 85 between Statesville Road and Sugar Creek, a stretch that has been under construction for months. A crash there in August sent three people to the hospital. One of the vehicles involved belonged to a construction crew.

Despite the two previously mentioned incidents, Highway Patrol said construction zone crashes involving deaths are down this year. Statewide in 2022, there were 32. So far this year, there have been 28 deaths. Troopers said that while many construction sites will shut down this week, drivers should still take note of slower speed limits and be aware of heavy equipment still on site. If there is a crash, drivers are advised to move over and make room for first responders.

Highway Patrol reminds the public that they will be on the lookout for drunk drivers and people driving above the speed limit. As WHKY previously reported, AAA predicts that more than 1.6 million North Carolina residents will travel 50 miles or more for Thanksgiving.