ATLANTA (WRBL) — For the ninth year in a row, Georgia will join four other southeastern states in a regional weeklong speed enforcement and awareness campaign.
"Operation Southern Slow Down", which will run from July 14-20, will target speeding and aggressive driving on interstates and major highways in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the number of people killed in speeding-related crashes in Georgia increased by almost 35 percent over a five-year period. Speeding was a factor in one out of five traffic deaths in Georgia from 2019 to 2023.
“Speeding threatens the lives of everyone on the road and that is why Georgia and our neighbors are sending the message that illegal and dangerous driving behaviors will not be tolerated,” said Allen Poole, Director of the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. “The goal of ‘Operation Southern Slow Down’ is to not write tickets but for motorists to put safety first by choosing to drive at slower and safer speeds.”
In 2024, the Governor's Office of Highway Safety reports 12,544 citations and warnings were handed out during "Operation Southern Slow Down" by state and local law enforcement.
Officials say “Operation Southern Slow Down” began in 2017 when highway safety leaders wanted to reduce crashes and save lives by reminding motorists of the danger speeding poses to all drivers.
Drivers will see more law enforcement on the road during the campaign and drivers who are stopped for speeding can expect to get a ticket.
The NHTSA offers the following tips for drivers on the road with those who are speeding:
• Give speeding drivers plenty of space
• If speeding drivers are following too closely, allow them to pass
• Stay out of the far-left lane unless it is passing another vehicle
• Always wear a seat belt
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