The Thanksgiving holiday is on Thursday, and with much to be thankful for this year, we’re giving out some great information on the best times to hit the road if traveling – and the best practices to stay safe when mobile.
To improve traffic flow during the holiday, the Georgia Department of Transportation is suspending lane closures on interstates, major state routes, and roads near popular shopping areas from 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 27, through 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 1.
This suspension of construction-related lane closures aims to reduce congestion and create a smoother travel experiences. Georgia DOT will implement similar restrictions for the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
Traffic congestion on interstates began increasing on Monday afternoon.
The Georgia DOT anticipates moderate traffic today.
Heaviest traffic and congestion is predicted for Wednesday, especially between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Lighter travel is actually expected on Thanksgiving Day, but Black Friday shoppers are to bring back the holiday road congestion the following day.
Additionally, the impending weekend poses a higher risk for crashes, as post-holiday traffic is likely to peak between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday evenings.
As holiday travelers hop in their vehicles this Thanksgiving, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and Georgia State Patrol are asking them to ‘Join the Click’ and buckle their seat belts.
Seat belts are the most important piece of safety equipment in every vehicle and all other vehicle safety features are designed to be most effective when the occupants are properly restrained.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belts help save an estimated 15,000 lives each year.
“State troopers and local law enforcement officers see seat belts saving lives in our state on a daily basis and that is why they make sure that all motorists are obeying seat belt laws,” said Allen Poole, Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. “It only takes a few seconds to buckle your seat belt and doing so can lead to a lifetime of memories. ‘Join the Click’ by always buckling your seat belt.”
Director Poole also reminds parents and guardians that all children under eight years of age should be riding in a properly installed child safety seat for their height and weight that meets the manufacturers’ guidelines.
The number of passenger vehicle occupants killed during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period in Georgia has increased by 30 percent in recent years. Federal crash data shows that 52 percent of the passenger vehicle occupants killed in Georgia during the period were not wearing seat belts.
If your holiday festivities are to include alcohol consumption at any point, make sure to have a sober, designated driver lined up for when traveling at the end of the evening. Georgia is a zero-tolerance state for drunk and drugged driving, which means that any driver found to be over the state’s legal Blood-Alcohol Concentration limit of .08 will be arrested – no excuses, no exceptions.
30 percent of the passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in Georgia during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend from the past 5 years involved a driver whose BAC was .08 or higher. Nearly 70 percent of these crashes involved a driver whose BAC was twice the legal limit.
The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety offers the following safety tips for those traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend:
- Allow extra time for your trip due to more vehicles being on the road
- Do not try to make up time by speeding
- Make sure that all vehicle occupants are safely and properly restrained
- Set GPS devices before leaving and have a passenger help with directions, if possible
- Take breaks on long trips and switch drivers, when needed
- Move over for First Responders – traffic-related incidents are a leading cause of death for law enforcement officers. Georgia’s Move-Over law requires drivers to move over one lane, when possible, if an emergency vehicle with flashing lights is parked on the shoulder of the highway.