ATLANTA –The 102-hour Thanksgiving holiday travel period begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 1.

“Reducing traffic crashes, deterring and correcting bad driving behaviors, and making the roadways safer is our job,” said Colonel Mark McDonough, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety. “To make this happen, Troopers and Motor Carrier Officers will be patrolling interstates and secondary roads throughout the state during this holiday period.”

According to AAA, this year we will see the highest Thanksgiving travel volume since 2005. They are predicting most travelers – 49.3 million, a 2.8% increase from last year – will be traveling by automobile.

“Motorists should travel with patience and allow plenty of time to reach their destinations,” said McDonough. “In order to make traveling safer, drivers should be mindful and obey the posted speed limit, have every occupant in their vehicle properly retrained, and never drive distracted or impaired.”

During the 2018 Thanksgiving holiday, the Georgia State Patrol investigated 610 crashes, resulting in 242 injuries. Statewide, there were 15 fatal crashes, resulting in 15 deaths.  GSP investigated 10 of those crashes.  In addition to crash investigations, Troopers arrested 339 people for driving under the influence, while issuing 11,523 citations (500 for distracted driving) and 17,046 warnings.

During the holiday period, an updated traffic fatality count will be published on the Department of Public Safety’s Twitter page: http://www.twitter.com/ga_dps.

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

ATLANTA – The Georgia State Patrol and Motor Carrier Compliance Division encourage everyone to celebrate the Independence Day holiday responsibly.  This year, the holiday travel period is 102 hours long.  It will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3, and end at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, July 7. This year marks the one year anniversary of the Georgia Hands-Free Law which became effective July 1, 2018.

Last year, the holiday period was only 30 hours long.  During the holiday period, State troopers investigated 150 traffic crashes resulting in 90 injuries and two fatalities. Additionally, troopers issued 6,367 citations (957 seat belts and 150 child restraints), 8,465 warnings, and made 123 DUI arrests.

“With a record number of travelers hitting the roadways this holiday, we want everyone to pack a load of patience for traffic delays and to put safety first by following the posted speed limit, not driving while impaired, making sure all occupants are restrained, and keeping your hands off of your cell phones,” said Colonel Mark W. McDonough, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety.  “State troopers and officers will be on high visibility patrols during the 102-hour holiday period in an effort to keep the number of traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities at a minimum,” he added.

This holiday period, the Georgia State Patrol is participating in the Operation Zero Tolerance campaign, a nationwide mobilization against impaired driving, as well as the 100 Days of Summer H.E.A.T. (Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic) campaign. Troopers will be working alongside sheriff’s deputies and police officers to apprehend impaired drivers and crack down on aggressive speeders and distracted drivers.

“Crashes caused by impaired drivers can be prevented.  Drivers must take the initiative to plan ahead for their holiday activities by designating a sober driver and not driving impaired,” said Colonel McDonough.  “State Troopers and Officers will not hesitate to arrest an impaired or aggressive driver,” he added.

According to AAA, the worst day to travel on the roadways in Atlanta is Friday, July 5, and the worst time for travel is between 5 – 7 p.m.

The holiday traffic count will be updated throughout the holiday period on the Georgia Department of Public Safety Twitter page: https://twitter.com/ga_dps.

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

DAHLONEGA, Ga. — A 21-year-old Dahlonega man was killed Sunday in a single-vehicle accident on Coppermine Road in Lumpkin County.

According to the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) report, Russell James Ford was driving south on Coppermine Road in a Ford Ranger SUV when he failed to negotiate a left-hand curve and traveled off onto the west shoulder. When he over corrected, the vehicle rotated counter-clockwise traveling across both lanes and off the east shoulder.

The vehicle traveled down an embankment and struck a large tree with its driver’s door and roof before coming to a rest facing south. Ford was pronounced dead at the scene.

GSP reports he was wearing a seatbelt and airbags were deployed.

LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga — A Florida woman was arrested last week, one month after a single-vehicle accident that killed her two young children.

Tiffany Rena Grubb, 24, of West Palm Beach, Fla., has been charged with vehicular homicide and DUI. The accident occurred Aug. 22 at the intersection of Ga. 400 and Whelchel Road. According to the Georgia State Patrol report, Grubb was driving on a suspended license when her Toyota 4-Runner overturned several times, killing her children ages 2 and 4. Neither of the children were wearing seat belts.

In his accident report, Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office deputy Cory Gearin said he detected the strong odor of alcohol on Grubb’s breath at the scene. She was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville with non-life threatening injuries.

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga. – A three-vehicle accident on Burntstand Road at 6:24 a.m. today (Feb. 18) sent two people to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville with undisclosed injuries.

According to the Georgia State Patrol accident report, a 1996 GMC Sierra driven by Tiffany Raines, 18, of Dahlonega, was traveling west on Burntstand Road when it crossed the centerline and struck the passenger side of 2000 Ford F150 pickup truck driven by 61-year-old James Dowdy, also of Dahlonega.

Following impact, the Sierra rotated counterclockwise and traveled off the north shoulder of the roadway coming to a final rest facing west and catching fire.

The pickup truck rotated counterclockwise and traveled down an embankment off the south shoulder of Burntstand Road, coming to rest facing north.

The third vehicle, a 2014 Honda Odyssey driven by 30-year-old Autumn Hart of Dahlonega was traveling behind the pickup truck and its front and windshield area were struck by debris from the wreck.

Raines as charged with failure to maintain lane.

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com