Operation Zero Tolerance helps keep roads safe during holidays

Editor,

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While December brings holiday cheer, the holiday season unfortunately will bring highway tragedy for some.

The Christmas travel period can be deadly both here in Georgia and across the country. Our federal and state crash data shows the travel period between Thanksgiving and New Year's is one of the most dangerous times on our roads.

Impaired driving is the reason. In 2008, 11,733 Americans died in highway crashes involving drivers with illegal blood alcohol concentrations.

That's why the Governor's Office of Highway Safety is joining with hundreds of highway safety partners across the state for this year's Operation Zero Tolerance holiday enforcement campaign. ...

Here in Georgia, 24 people died during the 2008 Christmas travel period. The sad fact is one out of three of our fatal highway crashes each year is caused by impaired drivers.

Georgia experienced 7,814 alcohol-involved crashes in 2008. At GOHS, we're hoping this Operation Zero Tolerance holiday enforcement campaign will help keep those numbers from increasing in this final month of 2009. ...

When we count our blessings this holiday season, we know we can count on our dedicated enforcement partners to run their concentrated patrols and sobriety checkpoints to protect the millions of innocent motorists who will take to the roads to visit families and friends this month.

Bob Dallas, Director

Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety