As Georgians pack-up their cars for the first big vacation trip of the summer, they face a set of sobering crash predictions for the Memorial Day holiday ahead. The Georgia State Patrol estimates as many as 2,725 traffic crashes resulting in 875 injuries and 18 traffic deaths could occur within just a 78-hour travel period on Georgia roadways this weekend.
“It’s a fact, there are more crashes during the summer travel months, due in part to the increased vacation traffic volume,” says Director Bob Dallas of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). “But most of these crashes aren’t just random events caused by too many cars navigating through too much congestion. The Georgia State Patrol reports alcohol and the lack of safety belt use were the primary contributing factors in a majority of the fatal crashes they investigated during the Memorial Day Holiday last year.”
During the 2008 Memorial Day period, there were 2,480 traffic crashes, 721 injuries and 12 fatal crashes resulting in 14 traffic deaths in Georgia. The Georgia State Patrol investigated eight of those 12 fatal crashes, finding alcohol was a factor in five of the traffic deaths and a drug-impaired driver was noted in another fatal crash. Investigating Troopers found four of the victims were not restrained by safety belts! (Other fatal crashes reported during Memorial Day 2008 involved a motorcycle, a four-wheeler, and a pedestrian).
Labels: accidents, Georgia, georgia office of highway safety, Memorial Day Weekend
# posted by
Brian Vanderhoff @ 8:42 AM
