Labor Day Holiday Travel Period Underway

The three-day Labor Day holiday travel period starts at 6 p.m. and ends at midnight Monday. Georgia State Troopers are anticipating a busy holiday weekend with heavy traffic, the Georgia Department of Public Safety announced.

During the 2010 Labor Day period, traffic crashes in Georgia claimed the lives of 14 people, according to crash statistics from the Crash Reporting Unit at the Georgia Department of Transportation. There were 2,580 traffic crashes and 1,042 injuries also reported during the 78-hour holiday period

Georgia State Troopers and Motor Carrier Compliance Division Officers will be patrolling throughout the holiday weekend, Col. Mark McDonough, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety, said in the announcement. Law enforcement personnel will be watching for impaired drivers, speeders, drivers and passengers not wearing seat belts, and children who are not properly restrained in vehicles.

"Alcohol, speed, and occupant protection violations are the primary contributing factors in fatal traffic crashes in our state,” McDonough said.

The commissioner said troopers will be patrolling the secondary roads as well as the interstates throughout the holiday period. "Past experience has shown the majority of the fatalities over a holiday weekend occur on the state routes, county roads, and city streets," he said.

Operation Zero Tolerance, the nation’s high visibility DUI enforcement program, will also be in effect during the holiday period. Troopers and Motor Carrier Compliance Officers will conducting road checks and patrolling secondary roads in an effort to intercept impaired drivers before they can cause a traffic crash.

In the announcement, McDonough reminded drivers to make sure their vehicle is in proper operating condition before beginning holiday travel by checking the belts, hoses, lights, tire pressure, and fluid levels. "Drivers should take every precaution to prevent being stranded on the road," he said. 

"Once on the road, be alert for potential dangers by obeying the posted speed limit, not tailgating, allowing plenty of space before merging in front of tractor trailers, using a designated driver if alcohol will be in your plans, making sure everyone is wearing a seat belt, and taking the time to properly restrain children in a motor vehicle."

The Georgia State Patrol is partnering with the “Bee a Buckler” Safety Program to encourage everyone to buckle up this weekend. Gov. Nathan Deal has proclaimed the Labor Day holiday weekend as “Bee a Buckler” Safe Driving Weekend in Georgia. In addition to urging everyone to buckle up their seatbelts, the program stresses other safe driving practices. The “Bee a Buckler” program was founded in 1969 by Jennie Glasgow of Sandy Springs.

The Labor Day holiday period is also an Operation C.A.R.E. holiday where state law enforcement officers across the country engage in a concerted effort to encourage safe travel. Operation C.A.R.E., or Combined Accident Reduction Effort, seeks to reduce the number of crashes, injuries and fatalities on the nation’s roads through high visibility enforcement and education.

The most traffic fatalities for a Labor Day holiday period occurred in 1968 when 35 people died in traffic crashes, and the least in 1939 and again in 1995 with seven fatalities each. The Georgia State Patrol will provide updates on holiday weekend travel at http://dps.georgia.gov<http://dps.georgia.gov/.