‘Speed A Little. Lose A Lot’ Campaign Launches Statewide
Law enforcement increasing patrols to crack down on speeders
RALEIGH – The N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) is reminding drivers that speeding has life-threatening consequences.
Now through April 20, law enforcement officers throughout the state will conduct speed patrols and checkpoints to catch speeders.
The “Speed A Little. Lose A Lot.” initiative is one of many annual GHSP campaigns to curb reckless driving. The campaign emphasizes that even a small increase in speed significantly increases the risk of severe or fatal crashes.
“We refuse to accept the needless tragedies caused by speeding,” said GHSP Director Mark Ezzell. “This campaign sends a powerful message: drivers who choose to speed will face the consequences. We are determined to make our roads safer for every North Carolinian.”
In 2024, speeding was categorized as the fourth leading factor in crash fatalities in North Carolina. A preliminary report from the N.C. Department of Transportation states that 373 people died due to speed-related crashes.
Driving at high speeds is dangerous and decreases the driver’s ability to control the vehicle. In ideal weather conditions, a vehicle traveling 55 miles per hour will require more than 200 feet to stop completely, according to the N.C. Driver Handbook.
“Speed limits are set to keep all roadway users safe,” said Colonel Freddy Johnson Jr., commander of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. “Maintaining the speed limit not only reduces the severity of a crash, but it will ultimately minimize the likelihood of being involved in a crash in the first place. When the operator of a vehicle drives above the speed limit, they are putting their lives, their passengers’ lives and the lives of those they are sharing the roadway within harm’s way. Drivers have a choice to obey the speed limit, but it’s a choice that can have very big consequences if they don’t follow the law.”
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