ATLANTA — A week-long speed enforcement campaign is underway across Georgia, with state law enforcement officials warning drivers to obey the speed limit or risk getting a ticket.
Operation Southern Slow Down begins July 13, in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee. The campaign targets speeding, reckless driving and other dangerous driving behaviors.
“It’s dangerous to drive fast and excessive speed, and that’s what we’re going to be looking for this week,” said Maurice Raines, deputy director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.
Raines said speeding puts everyone on the road at risk.
“Speed endangers not only the speeder’s life, but it also endangers the life of other roadway users in our states.”
He also said there is no grace period for exceeding the posted speed limit.
“Unfortunately there’s no such thing that says this is okay; if you drive over the posted speed limit, you’re speeding, and the law is going to be enforced.”
According to Raines, more than 13,000 people were pulled over in Georgia during last year’s Operation Southern Slow Down campaign. More than 500 DUI arrests were made, and more than 1,800 warnings and citations were issued for violations of the state’s Hands-Free Law.
Across the five participating states, more than 490 law enforcement agencies issued nearly 53,000 citations and warnings to speeders during last year’s campaign.
A federal report shows speed was a factor in one out of every four crashes in Georgia between 2020 and 2024.
“Statistics definitely show us a lot of fatal crashes, almost 50% of fatal crashes have speed involved in it, and anytime you drive over the speed limit you’re driving those numbers up,” Raines said.
He said the annual campaign also serves as a reminder for drivers to slow down.
“It brings traffic awareness because they see law enforcement presence. It brings education to remind us that speed does kill.”
WSB Radio’s Sabrina Cupit contributed to this story.