The Georgia Department of Public Safety reported a sobering tally over the Christmas holiday travel period; 13 lives lost in crashes and a surge in citations for driving under the influence. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the period between Christmas Eve and last Friday saw state troopers handling 283 crash reports and making 239 DUI arrests.
Notwithstanding the joyous spirit intended for the season, pain echoed through the asphalt veins of Georgia, as the 105 individuals injured in crashes attest, along with the 13 lives that the holiday claimed, this information was obtained by Atlanta News First, the darkness further compounded by reports of 385 distracted driving citations and 539 instances where seatbelts were neglected, reflecting the perennial struggle to temper revelry with responsibility.
Georgia DPS reported that 18 of the crashes involved impaired driving, while 11 involved commercial motor vehicles, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries. As the Christmas enforcement period ended at 11:59 p.m. yesterday, officials pointed to the troubling numbers as a warning ahead of the upcoming New Year’s holiday travel period, which begins next Wednesday. Law enforcement agencies say they will again increase patrols on roadways in an effort to prevent more crashes and loss of life.
