On Wednesday afternoon and evening, the Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety's Rural Roads Click It Or Ticket campaign worked in Decatur County. Decatur County has been identified as 1 of about 20 Georgia counties with a higher fatality rate due to seat belts not being worn.
The Georgia Southwestern Traffic Enforcement Network set up road checks at 3 locations on Wednesday afternoon. Later in the evening, one major road check was set up on Highway 27 south.
BHS SADD students participated and were transported to the afternoon road check in the Sheriff's SWAT bus. Lt. Tony Bobbitt of the Sumter County Sheriff's office is the Southwestern Region Law Enforcement Liaison for the Governor's Office and was also here.
1 minute video of Lt. Bobbitt, scenes from the road checks and one very upset DUI arrest.
video here
A number of seat belt citations were issued as well as DUI's, marijuana possession and a weapons charge against a convicted felon.
Decatur County Sheriff's Deputy Steve Black coordinated the participating officers from 12 counties. Sgt. Bruce Womble of the Cairo PD is the coordinator of the 12 counties in the Southwestern Traffic Enforcement Network.
A mobile command center was on the scene from the Albany Police Department. The RV type vehicle is equipped with holding cells, a DUI intox machine and video cameras.
30 second video of Sgt Womble and the Mobile Command Center
video here
The GOHS's crash data shows rural roads are more dangerous than busy interstates. In 2007, 1,252 people died on Georgia’s state and county roads, compared to 235 deaths on interstate highways.
In addition to those in rural areas, most at risk to a fatal crash are teen drivers, pickup truck drivers and their passengers and young males. In 2007, 4,540 teen passenger vehicle occupants, ages 16-20, were killed in motor vehicle crashes across the nation, and 61 percent were unrestrained at the time of the fatal crash.
