Last year, 199 people died on North Carolina highways. This year, the N.C. Highway Patrol is hoping to reduce that number by launching Operation Road Watch, which is a 48-hour multi-agency enforcement event that focuses on commercial motor vehicles.

“This is an especially dangerous part of Interstate 77. We will be stepping up patrols in Surry County. While 199 people perished on our highways last year, we would like to get that number down to zero,” said Trooper Kevin Hennelly. “We are really trying to reduce the amount of accidents and injuries caused on our highways each year.”

Hennelly said there would be a “blitz” of troopers from both Virginia and North Carolina who will be patrolling Interstate 77 in their respective states.

“We just want to keep our highways safe,” Hennelly said.

The goal of Operation Road Watch is to reduce collisions involving big trucks and other vehicles. The event began Tuesday morning at 6 a.m.

The event kicked off Tuesday afternoon at the southbound weigh station with speeches from Brian Beatty, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, and Col. Walter Wilson, commander of the highway patrol.

Troopers will conduct safety inspections on commercial motor vehicles on Interstate 77 in Surry County and other highways in the area during the event. The focus will involve emphasis on driver violations, aggressive driving around commercial motor vehicles, unsecured load violations, hazardous materials being transported across state boundaries and motor carrier fuel violations.

Contact Mondee Tilley at mtilley@mtairynews.com or at 719-1930.