The Marietta Police Department is sending a strong holiday message: enjoy the festivities, but keep your eyes on the road. Here’s why:
• Three Marietta drivers this year managed to collide with marked police vehicles—yes, marked. Two were parked with lights flashing; one was stopped at a red light.
• Distracted driving remains a serious issue, with cellphones and rushing being major culprits.
Why It Matters: Holiday distractions—think last-minute shopping and endless parties—can make roads even more dangerous. When drivers don’t focus, lives are at risk, including emergency responders assisting at accidents.
The Details: Marietta officers are urging drivers to:
1. Put Down the Phone: Texting and driving don’t mix. Reply to messages once parked.
2. Slow Down: Rushing never saved anyone from holiday gridlock.
3. Move Over: It’s not just polite—it’s the law. Give emergency vehicles space on the side of the road.
The Big Picture: Hitting a parked police car is a pretty clear sign you need to reevaluate your driving priorities. The police department would also like you to stop running into their vehicles. Also, the taxpayers of Marietta have to pay for repair and replacement of police vehicles, so they would also appreciate it if you could not run into police vehicles.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
