There's really no need to speed, and the North Carolina Highway Patrol will be conducting an enforcement campaign to prove it.

Operation Slow Down/No Need to Speed will be in effect for a two-week period beginning Nov. 16. The campaign lasts until Nov. 29, also covering the Thanksgiving holiday period, which tends to be one of the busiest travel times of the year.

Troopers in Caldwell County and across North Carolina will be watching for all motor vehicle violations, but they will be concentrating their efforts on the issues of speeding and reckless driving.

"Statewide, speeding is always an issue, and we are seeing a number of speed-related collisions here in the county," NCHP First Sgt. G.W. McClelland said. "We're going to assign more members from our district, and we will increase our enforcement."

The goal of the campaign is to reduce the speeds of drivers as they travel across the state's roadways in an effort tor educe the number of collisions. Speed is the state's leading cause of fatal collisions, followed by impaired driving.

In Caldwell County, speeding tends to be at its worst along major thoroughfares like U.S. 321, N.C. 18, U.S. 64/N.C. 90 and Connelly Springs Road. McClelland said the morning and evening commutes tend to be the times of heaviest speeding violations.

"Those are major areas of concern," he said of the county's heavy travel areas. "People need to slow down, and they can do that by planning ahead. They know what time they need to arrive at work or other places, they know their route, and they know what traffic is like on that route. It makes no sense for people to have to speed to work or any other place."

The best way to avoid speeding is simply to follow all posted speed limits. That practice lessens the likelihood of a collision and can save some money on possible tickets, court costs and insurance rates.

"We hope we don't have to give out tickets," McClelland said. "Unfortunately, that seems to be the only way to get the attention of some drivers."

McClelland said beefed-up patrols will be assigned to the high-traffic areas of the county that tend to see the most speeding incidents, also noting that the campaign will be enforced on all roads.

"The troopers are going to adopt a roadway," McClelland said. "We will assign them an area, and that will be their primary focus when they are working."

In addition to speeding, troopers also will be on the lookout for aggressive driving, impaired drivers and motorists not wearing seat belts, among other violations, all in an attempt to keep the roads safe for those people traveling.