Georgia Among States Under "Operation Southern Slow Down"

Speed racers, beware!

If you’re on the road this week, you may see more law enforcement officers on the interstate. That’s because this week marks the ninth annual “Operation Southern Slow Down” campaign.

From July 13-19, the speed enforcement and awareness initiative will run in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee. As reported by Fox 5 Atlanta, the campaign aims to warn motorists about the dangers of speeding and reckless driving.

State and local officers from all five states will spend the week targeting speeding, aggressive driving, and other traffic violations to reduce crashes and save lives.

Last Year’s Campaign

During last year’s “Operation Southern Slow Down,” more than 490 officers throughout the Southeast issued 52,990 speeding citations and warnings. The effort also led to more than 1,440 DUI arrests, 2,230 reckless driving citations/warnings, and more than 3,000 citations/warnings for distracted driving.

In just Georgia alone, over 13,290 contacts were made with speeding drivers. There were also 501 DUI arrests, more than 1,875 citations/warnings for violating Georgia’s “hands-free” law, and more than 2,470 citations/warnings for seat belt violations.

What Drivers Need To Know

Drivers can expect increased law enforcement activity throughout July. All on the road should obey Georgia’s “Move Over Law” by changing lanes when possible or slowing down to at least 10 mph below the speed limit when passing stopped emergency vehicles with flashing lights.

Here are other tips for sharing the road with potential speeding drivers:

• Give speeding drivers plenty of space.
• Allow aggressive drivers to pass if they are following too closely.
• Stay out of the far-left lane unless passing another vehicle.
• Always wear a seat belt.

Georgia Among States Under "Operation Southern Slow Down" was originally published on majicatl.com