Wednesday, January 1, 2003

Police crack down on impaired drivers for holiday season Police agencies all over Georgia are participating in a special program to combat intoxicated drivers over the holidays. Operation Zero Tolerance includes officers conducting sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols from Dec. 2 to Jan. 5. The holiday period has the potential to be one of the deadliest periods for impaired driving fatalities, according to the Governor's Office of Highway Safety. "In Georgia, drunk and drugged driving crashes claim nearly 500 lives each year," aid GOHS Director Yvonne McBride. "With more people expected to travel on Georgia's roadways during the Christmas and New Year's holiday periods, our law enforcement will be working overtime to protect families from drunk and drugged drivers." Violators can lose their licenses, time from their jobs and lose money in high fines and court costs as well as possibly face imprisonment for repeat offenses, assault and vehicular homicide. McBride said. "There will be no warnings. ... If you're caught driving while drunk or drugged during the holidays in Georgia, you'll be spending your money on bail, fines and towing fees instead of holiday gifts," McBride said. For more information, visit the GOHS web site at www.gohs.state.ga.us.   What do you think of this story? Click here to send a message to the editor. Back to the News Home Page| Back to the top of the page