Georgia roadway fatalities are increasing leading into the Labor Day Holiday Weekend. Through August 29th there were 21 more fatalities than same time last year, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Traffic Fatalities    Time Period

1170                    2014 (annual total)
1414                    2015 (annual total)
900                      2015 (January - August 29th)
921                      2016 (January - August 29th)

“It is startling and sad to see an over 200% increase in fatalities that occur as a result of Roadway and or Lane Departures,“ said Garrett Townsend, Director of Public Affairs for AAA Georgia. “Removing all distractions, such as mobile devices, is the first step toward getting to your destination safely over the Labor Day weekend.

“We have also noticed a 10% increase - over last year - in the number that fatalities that occur with either no seatbelt or actual usage is unknown,” continued Townsend.  “This trend is a step backwards since it is a known fact that seatbelts save lives."

Considering these risk factors, AAA urges extra caution during the Labor Day Holiday Weekend and to follow these tips:

Buckle Up– Wear your seat belt and make sure all your passengers, including young children, are properly restrained. With 45 to 60 percent effectiveness, seat belts are the single most effective means of reducing the risk of death in a crash and have saved nearly 300,000 lives since 1975 in the U.S. alone.

Limit Distractions– Put the phone down. Distracted drivers put not only themselves at risk, but everyone else using the road. Numerous research studies, however, conclude that hands-free cell phones offer no significant safety benefits over handheld phones – hands-free is not risk-free.

Drive Alert– Don’t drive drowsy or impaired. Sleepiness slows your reaction time, decreases awareness and impairs your judgment, just like drugs or alcohol. Alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities account for 30 percent of the total motor vehicle traffic fatalities in the United States.

“Labor Day is traditionally the “last hurrah” to end the summer.  Despite recent increases, gas prices remain lower than Labor Day Weekend 2015, thus Georgian’s are expected to hit the roads and make the most of the final summer holiday,” continued Townsend.