The Georgia State Patrol is preparing for the busiest July 4th travel period ever, with officers out in full force to keep roads safe during the 78-hour holiday weekend.
🚨 Why It Matters: Record numbers of drivers will hit Georgia roads this holiday weekend, increasing accident risks for everyone. Last year’s holiday period saw 18 traffic deaths and 472 DUI arrests across the state.
🚗 By The Numbers: AAA predicts 61.6 million Americans will travel by car this Independence Day—the highest volume ever recorded and a 2.2% increase from last year.
🍺 Enforcement Plans: State troopers will participate in Operation Zero Tolerance to combat drunk driving and the 100 Days of Summer H.E.A.T. initiative targeting aggressive driving behaviors.
“We urge everyone to follow traffic laws, drive sober, avoid distractions, wear seatbelts, and make sure children are properly restrained,” said Colonel William W. Hitchens III, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety.
⏰ Best Times to Travel: Avoid the roads during peak congestion periods:
- July 3: Avoid 2-6 p.m., travel before noon
- July 4: Avoid 12-7 p.m., travel before noon
- July 5: Avoid 11 AM-5 p.m., travel before 11 a.m.
- July 6: Avoid 12-6 p.m., travel before 11 a.m.
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Before You Dismiss This Article…
We live in a time when information feels overwhelming, but here’s what hasn’t changed: facts exist whether they comfort us or not.
When A&W launched their third-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder in the 1980s, it failed spectacularly. Not because it tasted worse, but because customers thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If basic math can trip us up, imagine how easily we can misread complex news.
The press isn’t against you when it reports something you don’t want to hear. Reporters are thermometers, not the fever itself. They’re telling you what verified sources are saying, not taking sides. Good reporting should challenge you — that’s literally the job.
Next time a story makes you angry, pause. Ask yourself: What evidence backs this up? Am I reacting with my brain or my gut? What would actually change my mind? And most importantly, am I assuming bias just because the story doesn’t match what I hoped to hear.
Smart readers choose verified information over their own comfort zone.
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.
