Georgia Memorial Day Weekend Traffic Fatalities Up

Although there was a significant reduction in traffic accidents reported in Georgia over the Memorial Day weekend compared to 2010, a greater number of those resulted in deaths, according to figures released by the Georgia Department of Public Safety Tuesday.

Of the 273 traffic accidents worked by Georgia State Patrol posts in the 78 hours from the official start of the Memorial Day weekend at 6 p.m. Friday until midnight Monday, there were 273 accidents resulting in 177 injuries and 12 deaths. There were 15 fatalities in the state with all agencies reporting. Included in the fatalities were two reported by the Monroe GSP post in Walton County. The fatal car wreck on Ozora Church Road north of Loganville Monday night killed two Lawrenceville men, Jacob Reagan, 22, and Rajesh Persaud, 20.

In 2010, there were 2,143 accidents with 945 injuries but only five fatalities. 

reported 108 accidents with no injuries in the county, six with injuries, six with possible injuries and one with entrapment. “There were 121 total accidents,” said GCPD spokesman Cpl. Edwin Ritter.

The Georgia Department of Public Safety keeps a record of the total number of crashes, injuries and fatalities for the Memorial Day, July Fourth, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holiday travel periods every year.