Georgia troopers on the lookout for texting, speeding, drunken holiday drivers

In addition to concentrating on speeding and drunken driving, the Georgia State Patrol will be on the lookout for distracted drivers Thanksgiving week.

Cpl. Michael Burns said troopers will be spending time on the interstates, but also will focus efforts on city streets and county roads, looking for drivers unlawfully using their cellphones. Reading or sending a text and viewing social media while driving aren’t allowed under Georgia law.

Distracted driving — people talking on the phone, texting or looking at Facebook — has been a leading cause of crashes and vehicle fatalities in the past couple years, Burns said.

“Slow down, put the phone down and have a designated driver,” Burns cautioned drivers.

Troopers investigated 788 crashes, including nine fatalities, during the 2015 Thanksgiving holiday period statewide, according to a state patrol news release.

The American Automobile Association estimates 1.4 million Georgians will travel 50 miles or more away from home between Wednesday and Sunday with 1.2 million of those travelers traveling by car, said Garrett Townsend, AAA Georgia public affairs director.

Thanksgiving gas prices are forecast to be the second cheapest in nearly a decade, Townsend said.

“People feel comfortable getting on the road as far as economy is concerned,” he said.

Georgia gas prices averaged $2.14 for a gallon of unleaded late last week, six cents cheaper than the prior week. Last year the average leading into Thanksgiving was $1.96, Townsend said.

In Macon, prices likely will be $2 or lower, he said.

Travel through Macon likely will begin to pick up Tuesday evening and remain heavy through Saturday, said Bibb County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Brad Wolfe. Burns said traffic on the interstates likely will remain heavy through Sunday.

In addition to interstate traffic, Eisenhower Parkway, Thomaston Road, Riverside Drive, Ga. 247 and other roads that connect Macon to other parts of the state likely also will be busy, Wolfe said.

“We urge people to realize that traffic is going to be very heavy,” he said. “Be prepared to be patient when you head out.”

Wolfe cautions drivers to keep an eye out for other cars and be prepared to react if needed, leaving adequate space between cars for a quick stop.

“You can’t predict what other people are going to do,” he said. “Get where you’re going safe.”

This story was originally published November 21, 2016 at 4:24 PM with the headline "Georgia troopers on the lookout for texting, speeding, drunken holiday drivers."