Sobriety checkpoint tileATLANTA — Motorists all across Georgia are preparing for the unofficial end of summer by planning last minute trips to the lake, beach and everywhere in between. Law enforcement are likewise preparing as troopers, deputies and police officers across the state prepare for the annual Labor Day impaired driving campaign, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety announced in a news release today.
Tips for safe holiday weekend
A few simple tips for ensuring a safe holiday weekend: * Plan a safe way home before you start festivities. * Designate a sober driver before you start drinking. * Program the numbers for taxi services or sober ride programs into your cell phone in case you or a friend unexpectedly need a sober ride home. Also consider public transportation. * Download the Drive Sober, Georgia app for a list of sober ride services in your area. * If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local law enforcement immediately. For more information on Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over or Operation Zero Tolerance, visit www.gahighwaysafety.org.
In Georgia, Operation Zero Tolerance will run in conjunction with the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign from Aug. 21 through Sept. 7. That means whether you hit the road early or choose to celebrate on the holiday weekend, officers will be cracking down on impaired drivers with increased patrols, sobriety checkpoints and a high-visibility presence.
“Too many people think their actions don’t affect anybody else,” Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Director Harris Blackwood said. “They know it’s illegal and they know it’s wrong. But they do it anyway and make decisions as if the statistics just can’t happen to them.”
And the statistics don’t lie. During last year’s Labor Day travel weekend, Georgia saw 15 traffic deaths and a further 1,218 injuries result from 3,706 crashes. It may seem like good news that these fatalities were down from 22 in 2013, but even one life lost is too many.