The Georgia State Patrol reported that 19 people died on state roadways during the Thanksgiving holiday. That fatality count exceeded the prediction of 13 traffic-related deaths by 46 percent. But in Union City, the Click It or Ticket campaign paid off.

Union City Police Sgt. George Louth said a concerted effort with the local Click It or Ticket campaign over the holiday period resulted in the city experiencing only three traffic crashes, including one accident involving a deer. Louth said none of the crashes resulted in injuries. Officers wrote a total of 375 tickets during the period, Louth added.

"The purpose of our Click It or Ticket effort was to keep people safe by keeping the number of crashes down,” Louth said. “And we were very successful in having that happen.”

Around the state it was a different story. It was not only the deaths on Georgia highways that marred the long Thanksgiving holiday, it was the many injuries sustained during the period. Also exceeding GSP predictions, law enforcement handled 3,155 traffic accidents statewide that injured 794 people. To help prevent injury and death officers are continuing the Click It or Ticket campaign.

“We want those GSP predictions to be wrong every holiday,” said Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Director Bob Dallas. “So we encourage motorists to disprove the predictions by buckling their safety belts every trip, every time. Now we’re waiting for analysis to reveal how many of this year’s fatalities might have been avoided if some drivers and passengers had just made the time to buckle-up.”

GSP Col. Bill Hitchens said failure to use safety belts is a major contributing factor in two-thirds of traffic deaths during last year’s Thanksgiving.

“It’s not about writing more tickets, it’s about saving more lives,” Dallas said. “For safety’s sake everyone should be buckled up, every seat, every trip, every time. If you don’t click it, expect a ticket.”

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