Police: Take your time and plan your route during holiday
With millions of motorists on the highway for the holiday, Columbus police and other law enforcement agencies will be watching out for speeding, seat belt violations, impaired drivers and other traffic offenses during the Memorial Day weekend.
“All during the holiday, we will have heavy traffic of people going on vacation, going to the beach and visiting relatives,” said Police Maj. J.D. Hawk, head of Patrol Services Division at the Columbus Police Department. “People have to have extra patience, take their time and plan their route wherever they are going.”
AAA is projecting 39.3 million people will travel during the 78-hour period that began at 6 p.m. Friday and ends at 11:59 p.m. Monday on Memorial Day. Five people died last year during the weekend in Georgia, and troopers investigated 430 crashes with 232 injuries.
Col. Mark W. McDonough, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety, said troopers will be on full patrols during peak travel times, strictly enforcing seat belts laws and keeping an eye out for impaired drivers. “They will not only be patrolling the interstates but secondary roads as well,” he said.
Memorial Day kicks off the beginning of the summer travel season. Traffic is expected to be heavier due to graduation ceremonies in the Bi-City area and across Georgia, festival and vacation travelers will add to the normal weekend traffic flow. “The Georgia State Patrol takes saving lives seriously and encourages all motorists traveling through our state to put safety first,” McDonough said. “Everyone in the vehicle, especially children, should be properly restrained, and drivers should obey the speed limit, avoid driving a vehicle while distracted, and be courteous to other drivers,” he said.
During the holiday, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency reminds everyone to play it safe along the roadways and waterways. Although the holiday ends on Memorial Day, Alabama State Troopers assigned to the Highway Patrol and Marine Patrol Divisions will work together throughout the next two weeks to create a highly visible enforcement presence and to promote public safety.
“We urge motorists and boaters of all ages to obey all traffic and boating laws to ensure everyone enjoys the extended holiday weekend and the coming warm-weather months,” Secretary of Law Enforcement Stan Stabler said. “We would like nothing more than to reduce the number of traffic and boating crashes, injuries and fatalities. We will team with our county and municipal law enforcement partners to serve and protect the citizens of Alabama, particularly on Memorial Day weekend, when we typically see more traffic.”
Patience also is a key to staying safe on busy highways. “We will be watching for speeding, seat belts, texting and driving, and aggressive driving,” Hawk said. “They need to have total patience in that car, because if you get upset with a driver and take an aggressive stance or action, you are guilty of aggressive driving.”
Troopers will target behavior such as speeding, DUI, distracted driving, following too closely and other driving behaviors that cause crashes and contribute to more severe crashes, Stabler said. The expanded traffic enforcement initiative is made possible by grants provided by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and the Alabama Department of Transportation .
During days surrounding Memorial Day weekend, troopers will take part in two national safety campaigns: National Safe Boating Week and Click It Or Ticket, which runs through June 5 to promote the use of seat belts and child restraints. The Georgia State Patrol also will participate in the national mobilization of the Click It or Ticket program. Troopers will be working with sheriffs’ deputies and police officers to enforce Georgia’s seat belt laws and to educate the public on the importance of wearing seat belts while traveling in motor vehicles.
Safety Tips for Memorial Day Weekend
▪ Buckle up — no matter how short the trip — on the road or on the water. Occupants of all ages should use seat belts or child restraints when traveling by motor vehicles. On waterways, all occupants should use U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets.
▪ Restrict access and closely monitor teens to prevent underage use of alcoholic beverages.
▪ Avoid driving or boating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
▪ Focus on driving or boating and avoid distractions such as texting and talking on cell phones.
▪ Slow down in construction zones along the way. Drivers pose the greatest danger in work-zone crashes by not paying attention, speeding and driving while impaired or distracted.
▪ Pay attention to weather conditions, particularly when there is thunder and lightning. Storms can come up quickly, especially in warm weather, so keep an eye to the sky. Watch for temperature changes, shifts in wind patterns and changes in cloud formations.
Source: Alabama Law Enforcement Agency
This story was originally published May 26, 2017 at 8:29 PM with the headline "Police: Take your time and plan your route during holiday."