Georgia officials say “Operation Southern Shield” was a big success in saving lives on Georgia highways and roads.
According to preliminary numbers from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), there have been 17 traffic deaths reported so far in Georgia during the seven-day operation. That is a 51 percent decrease from the 35 fatalities reported to GDOT for the same seven-day period in the week before “Operation Southern Shield” and a 45 percent reduction from the 31 traffic deaths that were reported for July 3-9.
The multi-state speeding awareness and enforcement operation took place July 17-23 in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee. Other states who participated in “Operation Southern Shield” are seeing similar results.
“The deaths of 17 people on our roads is nothing to celebrate,” Roger Hayes, Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Law Enforcement Services Director said in a news release. “The results from last week do support what we have been saying for years. Obeying the speed limit and staying focused on the road while driving saves lives.”
