Media release from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety:
The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS), Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS), GOHS Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic (H.E.A.T.) units and GOHS Traffic Enforcement Networks ask everyone to make the holiday season and every day safe on the roads by choosing not to drive under the influence of alcohol, drugs or a combination of both substances.
The Georgia State Patrol, sheriff’s offices and local police departments will once again increase DUI enforcement during the holiday season. Georgia law prohibits anyone from operating a motor vehicle with a Blood-Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level of .08 g/dL or higher. Any driver found to be over the legal BAC limit in Georgia will be arrested.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 30% of the people killed in traffic crashes during the Christmas holiday travel period in Georgia from 2019-2023 involved a drunk driver and 80% of the fatal drunk driving crashes in the state during the Christmas holiday travel period from 2019-2023 involved a driver whose BAC was twice the legal limit.
Federal crash data also showed nearly 60% of the people killed in traffic crashes in Georgia from midnight through 6:00 a.m. on January 1 from 2019-2023 involved a drunk driver and 60% of the drunk driving crashes that happened during the early morning hours on New Year’s Day in Georgia from 2019-2023 involved a driver whose BAC was the twice the legal limit.
According to a GOHS Georgia Traffic Safety Fact Sheet on Impaired Driving, more than 80% of the people killed or seriously injured in drunk driving crashes in the state in 2023 were riding in a vehicle hit by a drunk driver.
“Too many families will be celebrating the holidays without a loved one taken from them by someone who made the selfish decision to drive when they know they should not have been behind the wheel,” GOHS Deputy Director Maurice Raines said. “Choosing not to drink and drive makes you a lifesaver and we ask everyone to make the right choice by handing the keys to a sober driver or plan for a ride with a sober, designated driver whenever alcohol is part of the plans.”
The Georgia State Patrol and local law enforcement will be targeting all traffic offenses during the holiday travel period, including driving under the influence.
State troopers and local law enforcement made more than 1,900 DUI contacts last year during NHTSA’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Impaired Driving Prevention campaign that ran from December 11, 2024 – January 1, 2025.
State Troopers made 361 DUI arrests during the 2024 Christmas/New Year’s holiday travel period and made 1,750 DUI arrests during the Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day and Thanksgiving holiday travel weekends this year.
According to NHTSA, a DUI arrest can cost up to $10,000 in fines, attorney fees and higher insurance rates. A DUI arrest can also cost someone their job or possibly prevent them from being hired.
“State troopers and local law enforcement wish they did not have to make one DUI arrest but they know every drunk and drugged driver they take off the road is one less family they have to notify that their loved one has been killed in a traffic crash,” Raines said. “Our goal is for everyone to safely reach their destination on every trip and we ask everyone to help by driving at safe speeds, wearing their seat belt, keeping their attention on the road and never driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or a combination of both substances.”
AAA – The Auto Club Group is once again offering a free tow/ride during the Christmas holiday season through their “Tow-To-Go” program. AAA will be offering a free tow and ride up to ten miles for only the vehicle operator starting on Wednesday, December 24, 2025 through 6:00 a.m. on Friday, January 2, 2026. The AAA – The Auto Club Group “Tow-To-Go” program does not take reservations and is designed as a safety net for those who did not plan in advance for a sober ride. GOHS and AAA once again ask everyone to plan for a sober ride when alcohol is part of the plan.
The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, Georgia Department of Public Safety, GOHS H.E.A.T. units and GOHS Traffic Enforcement Networks offer the following tips for those traveling:
- Do not speed to try to make up time
- Stay off your phone – program navigation apps before your trip
- Wear your seat belt and make sure children are safely restrained
- Plan for a sober ride when alcohol is part of the plans
- Let relatives and friends know they can call you anytime for a sober ride
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