Georgia Law enforcement turns up the HEAT on speed demons & drunk drivers
The Lincolnton Police Department and the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office have launched a concerted effort to deter speeding in the county by participating in "100 Days of Summer H.E.A.T." (Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic), a highway safety campaign sponsored by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS).
This marks the third consecutive year that waves of law enforcement patrols in 159 counties have cracked down on the dangerous, aggressive, high-speed drivers who place hundreds of innocent lives in peril on Georgia highways every summer.
"Even our everyday drivers are going faster and faster on our Southern highways, with the peak speeds building to deadly speeds during the summer months," said GOHS Director Bob Dallas. "So if it runs on wheels and speeds, there is an officer with a ticket book waiting somewhere in Georgia during 100 Days of Summer H.E.A.T."
The director went on to say, "This year's campaign will be tougher and last longer than any enforcement campaign ever put on the road by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety. We are doing this because on average, 29 people are killed in motor vehicle crashes every week in Georgia - excessive speed has become the newest deadly threat to everyone on the road in Georgia."
In fact, fatalities resulting from motor vehicle accidents outnumber the state's murder rate three-to-one. This means that over 16,000 people have died in Georgia over the past 10 years as the result of motor vehicle accidents. Moreover, car accidents now account for half of the traffic congestion experienced by Georgia motorists.
In other comments on 100 Days of Summer H.E.A.T., Director Dallas said, "For the first time in more than a decade, officers from more than 500 Georgia law enforcement agencies will focus their attention primarily on speeders. The initiative is aimed at reducing the high number of fatal car crashes on Georgia roads by targeting aggressive drivers who climb behind the wheel with high-risk driving habits including speeders, those who violate seat belt laws, and those who drive under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
"We know that a car crash is not a natural cause of death. The crashes that kill, maim, and injure thousands of Georgians each year are preventable. That is the goal of Summer H.E.A.T. - prevent crashes and save lives."
All summer long, bad drivers will be stopped at road checks or pulled over by concentrated patrols on interstates, secondary corridors, and local highways. The safety campaign is designed to make bad drivers feel the "heat" on their checkbooks, licenses (the addition of points), and insurance premiums.
"The message to Georgia's highrisk drivers is clear," stated GOHS Director Dallas. "Violations of the seat belt, DUI, and speeding laws will not be tolerated. It's time to buckle up, secure the kids in their safety seats, drive sober, and obey the speed limit."
Also part of 100 Days of Summer H.E.A.T. is "Operation Zero Tolerance" which will take place during the Fourth of July and Labor Day holidays and result in impaired drivers being sent directly to jail.
