ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) -During the 2023 holiday travel period, Georgia law enforcement is asking for one thing: Click It and Don’t Risk It.
“The goal of this holiday travel period is for everyone to drive safely and responsibly,” said Robert Hydrick, communications director with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.
According to preliminary data from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, crash reports show there were 15 passenger vehicle occupant fatalities reported in 2022 during the Thanksgiving holiday period. Of those 15 fatalities, approximately eight of them were reported not to be wearing a seatbelt. That is about 53-54%.
According to data from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, crash reports show there were 15 passenger vehicle occupant fatalities reported in 2022.
That’s why Hydrick, along with other local and state law enforcement agencies, want to get the word out ahead of the holiday.
“We want families, parents, caregivers who have small children who are under eight riding in a passenger seat, as required by Georgia Law, to make sure that seat’s properly installed,” said Hydrick.
Chief Michael Persley with the Albany Police Department says although the vast majority of people in Albany do wear their seatbelts, it’s still something he is worried about.
“For whatever reason, some people just don’t,” said Persley. “For the most part I see it fairly often, but I will see the vast majority of people in the city do wear their seatbelts, we just need everyone to wear their seatbelts.”
The Thanksgiving driving period In Georgia starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday and ends Sunday at midnight. For a list of safety tips, click here.
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