Police launch metro DUI crackdown

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Police throughout the metro Atlanta area are out in full force this weekend as part of a statewide drunk driving crackdown.

On Friday, police launched “Operation Zero Tolerance,” which runs through Labor Day.

The traffic enforcement campaign is being is being run in conjunction with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety’s “100 Days of Summer HEAT” campaign. HEAT stands for Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic.

“The sad fact is one out of three of our fatal highway crashes in Georgia each year is caused by impaired drivers,” said Bob Dallas, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. “And every one of those tragic alcohol-related deaths is completely preventable.”

During the next two weeks, officers will be issuing no warnings to impaired drivers, officials said.

“We even warn motorists what days to watch out for blue lights,” Dallas said. “We hope every driver will pay attention to our enforcement warning.”

More than 13,000 people died on U.S. highways in alcohol-related crashes in 2007, officials reported. Nineteen Georgians died and another 798 were injured during the 78-hour travel period around the Labor Day holiday, according to state officials.

The crackdown runs until Sept. 7.

-- Staff writers Mike Morris and Megan Matteucci contributed to this report.