State troopers record 30 crashes, 57 DUIs at start of Thanksgiving operation

Georgia State Patrol troopers are increasing their presence across the state’s interstates and state roads during the Thanksgiving travel period, which began at 6 p.m. Wednesday and lasts through Sunday.

As of 6 a.m. Thanksgiving, officers recorded 57 DUIs and 29 instances of distracted driving, according to data from the Georgia Department of Public Safety. They also reported 30 crashes, 11 of which led to personal injuries. There were no fatal crashes.

“The Georgia Department of Public Safety urges everyone to travel safely so they can enjoy Thanksgiving with their loved ones,” said Col. William W. Hitchens III, DPS commissioner, in a news release.

DPS shared video footage on social media from a DUI check that led to an arrest Wednesday night. The driver told the officer who stopped her that she drank four shots earlier in the evening. She had been traveling at 111 mph, according to DPS.

“Our Troopers remain committed to removing impaired drivers from Georgia’s roadways and will continue enforcing DUI laws to keep the public safe,” the agency wrote in another post.

Last year, crashes killed 17 people across the state during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, down from 23 in 2023.