It is one of the busiest times for highway travel and the biggest time for boating traffic of the year and this year’s July 4th holiday will have law enforcement watching on land and water this weekend.

Lake Gaston displayed its annual fireworks last year. Local law enforcement urges the public to use caution during area Valley Independence Day celebrations. Della Batts | Daily Herald Advertisement

“We expect I-95 to be bumper-to-bumper,” said Sgt. W.C. Johnson of the state Highway Patrol. “The U.S. highways will be medium to heavy.”

The Highway Patrol will participate in its Operation Firecracker and Operation CARE, which stands for Combined Accident Reduction Effort.

The agency will focus on high collision areas, Johnson said, which include the interstate and U.S. 158. Troopers will be roving and stationary and there will be random checkpoints.

The Highway Patrol needs the public’s support, especially in tracking down drunk drivers. “Impaired drivers are one of the biggest things we focus on,” Johnson said. “Drivers can report them by dialing *HP or calling 911.”

Troopers will also be looking for speeders and enforcing the state’s seat belt laws.

Johnson encourages motorists to plan their trips ahead of time and increase their following distance. “You get one person slamming on the brakes and it’s a chain reaction,” he said.

As the Highway Patrol patrols the land, state Wildlife Resources Commission enforcement officers will be on Lake Gaston, enforcing boating laws, Sgt. Carl Hatcher said.

Wildlife will be back on the lake following a nationwide Operation Dry Water campaign last weekend. No operating while impaired charges were made during the operation, Hatcher said.

Statewide, Wildlife officers made 42 operating-while-impaired arrests, with two additional arrests made by other law enforcement agencies for 44 total and three driving-while-impaired arrests. Citations were also issued for lack of required safety equipment, operating in a hazardous manner and lapsed registration.

Operating a recreational vessel while under the influence of an impairing substance or with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 is illegal. Penalties may include fines up to $1,000 and jail.

This weekend will be the largest for boats on the waters of the lake, Hatcher said, especially with a fireworks show planned for later in the evening. “There will be a large crowd of boats at Eaton Ferry and Pea Hill Creek,” he said.

Wildlife will have all available boats on the water as officers look for impaired boaters and enforce boating safety laws.

The officers will make a special effort to enforce night boating regulations. Boaters must make sure all navigation lights are working and have the proper colors. Bow lights must be working and the red port and green starboard lights must be working.

Enforcement of night boating laws usually begins about 30 minutes after sunset.