RALEIGH -- The Highway Patrol announced a preliminary number of 14 motorists who died on North Carolina highways during the Thanksgiving holiday period.

The holiday period officially began at 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 25 and ended at midnight, Sunday, Nov. 29.

Last year during the Thanksgiving holiday period, the highway patrol investigated 14 fatal collisions, resulting in 21 deaths.

During this holiday period, troopers investigated 12 fatal collisions resulting in 14 deaths. The following is a breakdown of the highway, approximate location and county of each fatality: