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The holidays are a time for gatherings of families and friends, and of course, celebrations. Thanksgiving through New Years marks some of the busiest traffic days in the nation. It also marks a period when drunken driving arrests and crashes see a marked increase. Georgia is no exception to this, and the Governor’s Office of Traffic Safety is going to be teaming up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to ensure that Georgia’s motorists stay safe – and sober – this holiday season. Valdosta Today reports.
Georgia will be upping their patrols, especially in the area of DUI-enforcement in December. This means that whether you are local or from out-of-town, driving while impaired will land you a direct ticket to jail.
The reason for the increased DUI enforcement is clear. During the Christmas travel season in Georgia in 2017, there were 15 total traffic deaths. The deaths occurred between 6 p.m. on December 22nd and 11:59 p.m. on December 26th. Statewide, the Georgia State Patrol investigated 515 traffic crashes that resulted in 129 injuries and 10 fatalities.
During that time, 192 people were arrested for driving under the influence.
The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and the NHTSA offers the following tips to have a safe holiday season.
- If drinking is the plan, make sure you plan for a sober ride home
- Even if you’ve just had one drink, don’t risk it. Get a ride home from a sober driver
- If you’re the designated driver, take that responsibility seriously
- Utilize rideshare apps like Uber or Lyft or take public transportation
- Be prepared to take the keys away from someone who is not sober enough to drive
- Call 9-1-1 if you’re on the road and suspect another motorist is impaired
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