Traffic enforcement was in full swing over the Fourth of July weekend around Richmond County, with saturation patrols and checkpoints by the North Carolina Highway Patrol and the Rockingham Police Department.

The Governor’s Highway Safety Program conducted its “Booze It and Lose It: Operation Firecracker” last week. No major accidents were reported throughout the county.

“The Highway Patrol had the maximum amount of staffing available on the roads over the weekend,” said Patrol Sgt. Travis Harper. “There were no major accidents that I know of, but the troopers made numerous enforcement contacts and were involved in eight saturation patrols and checkpoints throughout the county.”

Harper said the NCSHP’s enforcement efforts over the weekend resulted in 18 seatbelt violations, one child restraint citation, 92 speeding tickets, 14 driving while license revoked citations and six driving while impaired violations in Richmond County.

The Rockingham Police Department participated in a pair of checkpoints Friday and Saturday.

The first, at U.S. 1 and Valley Hill Drive from 9 to 11 p.m. Friday, yielded 32 charges, and was worked by 19 officers from various agencies including RPD, Hamlet Police, RCSO and the NCSHP.

These charges consisted of five driving while license revoked citations, five for child restraint violations, one aiding and abetting a driving while license revoked, 10 expired tag violations, six citations for no operator’s license, two expired inspections, one failure to carry driver’s license and two citations for possession of marijuana.

The second checkpoint involving the RPD took place at U.S. 74 and Yates Hill Road from about midnight Friday to 3 a.m. Saturday, and yielded 21 charges. The same participating agencies were also involved in this checkpoint.

Charges consisted of two expired tag violations, four citations for no operator’s license, two expired inspection violations, one open container citation, two driving while impaired, four possession of marijuana citations, two for drug paraphernalia, one driving while license revoked, one careless and reckless driving citation and one child seat violation.

Staff Writer Philip D. Brown can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 32, or by e-mail at pbrown@yourdailyjournal.com.