Twelve people died and 222 others were hurt in traffic crashes across Georgia during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, according to the Georgia Department of Public Safety.
What happened: The deaths occurred across 16 crashes during a 78-hour window that ran from 6 p.m. Friday, May 22, through 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 25. The numbers are preliminary and could change, the department said.
Where the deaths occurred: Fatal crashes were reported in multiple counties across the state:
- Bibb County
- Burke County
- Clayton County
- Newton County
- Putnam County
The remaining fatal crashes were investigated by Georgia State Patrol troopers in the Cartersville, Atlanta, Villa Rica, Monroe, and Reidsville areas.
By the numbers: Beyond the 12 deaths, troopers made 18,662 traffic stops and investigated 355 crashes statewide during the holiday period. Officers arrested 336 people for driving under the influence. Troopers also issued:
- 9,782 citations, which are formal tickets requiring a court appearance or fine
- 14,182 warnings
- 936 seatbelt citations
- 746 distracted driving citations
- 207 child restraint citations
The path forward: Because the department described these figures as preliminary, the final death and injury counts could rise or fall as crash investigations are completed in the coming days and weeks.
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.
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
