Everyone knows holidays mean extra patrols on state highways, but local law enforcement agencies plan on patrolling back streets and rural dirt roads as well in attempt to keep everyone safe.
People tend to travel more on long-weekend holidays such as Labor Day weekend, said Georgia State Patrol Post 45 Commander Sgt. Brad Mosher.
Paired with gas prices being almost a dollar less than this time last year, and the fact that “people (who drink alcohol) who don’t have to go to work on Monday may drink heavier on Sunday,” the risk of drunk driving is likely to be higher this weekend, he said.
The Georgia State Patrol always has an increased presence during such holidays. “It’s second nature to us,” he said, adding that Post 45 troopers will be working overtime this weekend to enforce the law.
The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety promotes its “Operation Zero Tolerance,” a “high visibility enforcement program that targets impaired drivers through concentrated patrols and sobriety checkpoints,” according to the agency’s website (www. gahighwaysafety.org.)
“Motorists all across Georgia are preparing for the unofficial end of summer by planning last minute trips to the lake, beach and everywhere in between. Law enforcement are likewise preparing as troopers, deputies and police officers across the state prepare for the annual Labor Day impaired driving campaign,” a notice on the website reads.
Bulloch County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Jared Akins said deputies, as well as members of the Statesboro-Bulloch County Crime Suppression Team, will be cruising back roads and dirt roads off the beaten path, checking for inebriated drivers.
“We won’t be just on the main drags,” he said. However, deputies will stop suspected drunk drivers on state highways as well, if they are spotted. ”We just want to keep everybody safe.”
While student population usually decreases during holidays because many go home, Georgia Southern University police will be watching for inebriated drivers as well, said interim Chief Laura McCullough.
“We step it up just a little bit” during holidays, but “with football and being… near all the bars just off campus,” monitoring impaired driving is routine for GSU officers.
Statesboro police also plan to keep a sharp eye out for drunk driving over the holiday, as they do every day, said Statesboro Police Cpl. Justin Samples.
“We will be patrolling as usual, and have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to drunk driving,” he said. “If you are under the influence, you will be charged.”
All three agencies remind drivers that alcohol is not the only intoxicant that can lead to impaired driving; DUI’s can stem from illegal or prescribed drugs as well.
"Too many people think their actions don't affect anybody else," said Governor's Office of Highway Safety Director Harris Blackwood. "They know it's illegal and they know it's wrong. But they do it anyway and make decisions as if the statistics just can't happen to them."
During last year's Labor Day travel weekend, Georgia saw 15 traffic deaths and a further 1,218 injuries result from 3,706 crashes, according to the GHS site.
Advice poste don the website suggests planning a safe way home before you start festivities; designating a sober driver before the party starts; and keeping numbers of friends or public transportation handy in case you become too drunk to drive.
Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.