December 21, 2007
Albany -- The Christmas Holiday traffic count begins at 6 Friday night and ends at midnight Christmas Day. Already the roads are jammed with motorists.
Experts predict an increase in people on the roads this weekend. The traffic on Georgia's roads is already busy, as many people have left to start a long Christmas Holiday trip. Sgt. Jamie Sullivan of the Georgia State Patrol said "this Friday will be a large, one of the largest travel days we will experience here in the state."
And Troopers fear it will start a long, deadly Holiday period. Sullivan said" This is unusual, Christmas falling on Tuesday, this is a 102 hour travel or holiday weekend."
GSP officials are predicting 25 people will die on Georgia roads before Christmas is over. So Troopers and other law enforcement plan a heavy presence across the State. Sullivan said "what we can is to get people to slow down, encourage everyone to buckle up, and don't drink and drive."
Last year's Christmas holiday saw 22 people die on Georgia roads. With the average plane ticket costing 16 percent more than last Christmas, and gasoline prices back under $3 per gallon on a national average, Triple-A Auto Club is estimating that more Americans will be driving this Christmas.
Troopers urge you to start early, and slow down in what are expected to be congested highways. They will be issuing tickets for speeding and not wearing seat belts, doing their best to prevent deaths on Georgia roads, so that their own prediction does not come true.
The State Patrol predicts another 12 people will die on Georgia roads over the New Year's period, 37 fatalities in all before the end of the year.
feedback: news@walb.com?subject=deadlyroads
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 Worldnow and WALB, a Raycom Media Station. 
