Georgia DNR said boating incidents over the holiday weekend were similar to 2013.
Two people drowned and at least five were injured on Georgia waterways during the Memorial Day weekend, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Here’s a preliminary report from the DNR’s Law Enforcement Division for Saturday-Monday:
Drownings: 2
- Eighteen-year-old Chance Werner, 18, drowned in Lake Allatoona after an accident at Dock D of Holiday Harbor Marina in Bartow County.
- William Brown drowned in the Atlantic Ocean near Tybee Island. His body was recovered from the Atlantic Ocean by Tybee Island PD.
Boating Under the Influence: 32
- BUIs on some of the larger lakes include Allatoona, 1; Lanier, 10; Oconee,1; Clarks Hill, 3; Sinclair, 1; Jackson, 1.
Boating Incidents: 9
Rangers responded to 9 incidents.
- Lanier (5/24): PWC ran into a boat in Shoal Creek-0 injuries
- Lanier (5/25): Fire on a Pontoon-Bald Ridge Creek-0 injuries
- Lanier (5/25): Boat that Sank near Aqualand Marina-0 injuries
- Lanier (5/25): PWC and vessel collision near Van Pugh Park-2 minor injuries
- Hartwell (5/25): minor incident-0 injuries
- West Point (5/25): Tubing incident where a tuber was thrown off tube/injuring neck/shoulder
- Lanier (5/26): 15 year-old fell off a pontoon in Chestatee River area and was struck by boat (transported to NE Ga Medical Center)
- Lanier (5/26): Fisherman pushed his boat away from Lula Bridge and fell into water, inhaled water while under (transported to NE GA Medical Center)
- Lanier (5/26): Rangers working one incident in Burton Mill area (details not available)
Boating Incident Related Injuries: 5
Boating Incident Related Fatalities: 0
2013 Memorial Day Statistics
Drownings: 2
BUIs: 42
Boating incidents: 8
Labels: accidents, boating, Drownings, memorial day
# posted by
Brian Vanderhoff @ 3:53 PM
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
