Operation Southern Slow Down targets speeders on Georgia highways

The effort includes participation from five states—Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee—in a coordinated push to reduce deadly driving behaviors during one of the busiest travel periods of the summer.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Georgia law enforcement is joining officers across the Southeast for a weeklong crackdown on speeding and aggressive driving, according to the Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office.

Operation Southern Slow Down runs from July 15 through July 20, with officers increasing patrols on major highways and interstates.

The effort includes participation from five states—Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee—in a coordinated push to reduce deadly driving behaviors during one of the busiest travel periods of the summer.

Now in its ninth year, Operation Southern Slow Down is designed to remind drivers to obey speed limits and drive safely. The Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office says drivers can expect to see more troopers, deputies and officers on Georgia roads throughout the campaign.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 349 people died in Georgia crashes involving at least one speeding driver in 2023. That’s a nearly 35% increase over the past five years. From 2019 to 2023, speeding played a role in about one out of every five traffic fatalities in the state.

“Speeding threatens the lives of everyone on the road and that is why Georgia and our neighbors are sending the message that illegal and dangerous driving behaviors will not be tolerated,” said Allen Poole, the director of the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. “The goal of ‘Operation Southern Slow Down’ is to not write tickets but for motorists to put safety first by choosing to drive at slower and safer speeds.”

“We all want to arrive at our destinations safely during this busy summer travel season, and this joint effort will serve as a strong reminder to obey traffic safety laws,” said Kenneth Boswell, the director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. “We support our law enforcement officers in Alabama and the Southeast as they work hard to prevent injuries and deaths from automobile crashes.”

“You’re almost three times more likely to be involved in a fatal or serious-injury crash when you’re speeding,” said Buddy Lewis, the director of the Tennessee Office of Highway Safety. “Speeding lowers your reaction time, increases the risk of losing control of your vehicle, and reduces the effectiveness of occupant protection equipment. Let’s work together to protect our roadways this summer. All we ask is for voluntary compliance.”

In Georgia during last year’s campaign, law enforcement issued 12,544 citations and warnings. Officers also arrested 446 people for driving under the influence and issued more than 1,200 citations and warnings for distracted driving.

In total, state and local officers issued 62,258 citations and warnings during the 2024 Operation Southern Slow Down, including 49,558 for speeding.