'Tis the season for holiday cheer and time spent with family and friends, but it's also a time when traffic fatalities on Georgia highways and roads increases.
According to the Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS), now through New Year's is one of the most dangerous times to be traveling across the state and country and drunk driving is the top reason. The numbers reveal the frightening reality; in Georgia, during the month of December 2009, 753 people died in crashes involving a driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. Over the Christmas travel period (Christmas Eve to midnight the following Sunday) in 2008, there were 24 deaths, 868 injuries and 3,325 crashes.
That's why Operation Zero Tolerance holiday enforcement crackdown is underway through January 2, 2011. The campaign is a joint effort between the GOHS and hundreds of highway safety partners aimed at keeping Georgia highways and roads safe for travelers during the holiday season. This is the fifth consecutive Christmas season thousands of traffic enforcement officers band together, statewide, under the national "Over the Limit, Under Arrest" DUI enforcement campaign.
Find out what's happening in Virginia Highland-Druid Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"Our message is clear," said Director Bob Dallas of the GOHS. "No matter who you are, what you drive or where you drive it, when you're caught driving impaired, you will be arrested. No warnings. No excuses. No exceptions."
As your driving about during this Christmas weekend you'll probably notice many sobriety checkpoints and increased patrols in your area. The campaign is not about making more revenue; it's about getting more drivers' attention and saving more lives, according to the GOHS.
Find out what's happening in Virginia Highland-Druid Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
If you plan to celebrate and party, follow these simple tips to stay alive and out of jail; ask someone to be the designated driver for you or your group, plan to take a taxi or make arrangements to spend the night, if you don't and you're Over The Limit-you're Under Arrest.
"So remember, whether you've had way too many or just one too many, it's not worth the risk!" said GOHS Director Dallas. "Get a designated driver. Don't let 2010 end in an arrest or even worse for you."
Visit the GOHS Website for more information about Operation Zero Tolerance.
Who do you call when you need a ride home? Tell us in the comments.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.