Law enforcement agencies from throughout the two-state area gathered at the Fifth Street Freedom Bridge, Monday morning, to alert the public about the launching of Operation Southern Slow Down, the annual week-long enforcement and awareness initiative to crack down on excessive speeding and other dangerous driving behaviors throughout the Southeast.
The Georgia State Patrol (GSP), the S.C. Highway Patrol (SCHP), the North Augusta Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) and the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) were among the agencies that convened at the bridge, partnered in a collaboration through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that spans Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Florida.
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“State and local law enforcement agencies in all five states will be conducting a week-long speed enforcement campaign, and the Georgia State Patrol will specifically focus on detecting and citing drivers who are exceeding the posted speed limit across Georgia interstate corridors,” said Lt. Lee Cronin with the GSP. “Why? Because speed kills.”
The officers cited reports by NHTSA to underscore the importance of safe driving along the highways, especially during the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer.” Speed-related auto collisions, Cronin noted, account for 28% of all crashes. The year 2023 saw more than 11,000 people nationwide killed due to speeding, and in 51% of those cases, speeding drivers had failed to wear seatbelts.
“One of the main reasons that speed-related crashes have such tragic effects is that the increased velocity, and of course, the impact, works against the safety equipment in our vehicle, such as seatbelts and airbags,” Cronin said. “When a vehicles speed increases, you travel a much greater distance. In the same amount of time, that distance could be the difference between recognizing a roadway hazard or crash… This doesn’t take into account other factors such as driver impairment, fatigue and distractions inside the vehicle that could have catastrophic consequences because of speeding drivers.”
The law enforcement partners advise motorists anticipate increased traffic during peak travel periods, to set aside ample time to get to their destinations and avoid speeding. Drivers are also urged to make sure all passengers are buckled up for the duration of a trip and to slow down in construction zones.
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Drivers are also encouraged to not engage with aggressive drivers, but to contact local law enforcement, to be patient with other drivers and provide them plenty of space, and of course to not drink and drive.
“We aren’t issuing any warnings this week,” Cronin said. “Because you are receiving your warning today.”
Richmond County Sheriff Gino Brantley highlighted positive results of RCSO’s own efforts to traffic fatalities, noting that Richmond County has had a 30% reduction in them so far this year, dropping from 24 to 17.
“That is not just a statistic. It represents lives saved,” said Sheriff Brantley. “This improvement can be attributed to the increased enforcement and growing compliance from our community, and while we enforce the law, what we ultimately hope, hope for is voluntary compliance. We want drivers to slow down, buckle up, put their phones away and make it home safely.”
Operation Southern Slow Down began Monday and will continue through Saturday, July 19.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
