GREENVILLE, S.C. - Troopers have issued nearly 6,000 tickets to motorists for violating traffic laws inside road construction zones since starting a crackdown last month.

The effort began April 10. By the end of the month, 4,052 speeding tickets had been issued, along with 26 DUI arrests, according to the Highway Patrol.

Troopers made work zone safety a priority because in the past five years transportation officials reported nearly 10,000 wrecks causing 88 deaths along roads under construction.

The Highway Patrol is joined in the effort by the state Transportation Department, local law enforcement and federal highway officials.