Local Highway Patrol officials are breathing a sigh of relief, at least for now.

The busy Christmas holiday travel period ended without any fatalities in the Roanoke-Chowan area. However, those responsible for patrolling the local roadways are not letting their guard down with the New Year’s holiday weekend approaching.

“This is a big week for us,” First Sgt. Kenny Pitts of the North Carolina Highway Patrol’s Troop A, District II office in Ahoskie said. “We’ll be out patrolling the roads and promoting safe driving measures. It’s our goal to get through the holiday season without any major accidents.”

Pitts said there were 32 deaths statewide during this same period last year (Dec. 24-31).

The Christmas travel period in the Troop A, District II region (Bertie, Gates and Hertford counties) was tragedy-free. First Sgt. Pitts said there were a few motor vehicle accidents, most attributed to wet roads during and after Sunday’s heavy rainfall. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries connected to any of those accidents.

Over in Northampton County n covered by the Troop C, District VIII office in Roanoke Rapids n there was one report of a serious accident Monday night on SR 1358 near Conway. A spokesman with the Roanoke Rapids office, which also covers Halifax County, said there were no specific details available from that accident.