In response to a troubling uptick in road fatalities, Georgia transportation and law enforcement officials this week launched a campaign to increase driver awareness.
Traffic fatalities are up by 25 percent already during the first quarter of this year. Nearly two thirds of those crashes involved a single vehicle - a sign, officials say, that the driver was distracted. The Drive Alert. Arrive Alive. campaign implores motorists to focus on driving, not drive while drowsy or impaired and to wear a seat belt.
“If we continue at this rate, we could see the first increase in traffic fatalities in Georgia in nine years,” said Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry. “That’s just unacceptable – especially when many of these crashes can be prevented by changing driver behavior.”
Prior to this year, roadway fatalities in Georgia have been declining for nine consecutive years. The goal of the awareness program is to continue that downward trend.
About the Author
