(RALEIGH) -- The busy Thanksgiving travel weekend is here and as always the Highway Patrol will be out looking for speeders and reckless drivers. First Sgt. Jeff Gordon said last year the patrol handled accidents that claimed the live so nine people and injured more than 400 others.

"What we've done, we've put our troopers pretty much on full staff," said Gordon. "They're going to be monitoring not only the major interstates and highways, but also some of what I call rural paved roads, the back roads."

Gordon added that if motorists do see a problem or someone driving erratically they should dial *HP on their mobile phone. It is a free call and puts the caller in touch with the nearest North Carolina Highway Patrol dispatch center.

(Thanks to: WSJS)