GDOT shares safety advice before holiday season begins

by Joe Hennessy

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Georgia Department of Transportation leaders went over the dangers on roadways and the statistics that follow at their committee meeting.

AAA predicts a record-breaking number of travelers in Georgia for the Thanksgiving holiday, which is now just one week away.

Nearly 73 million Americans will travel by car this Thanksgiving.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that around 94% of motor vehicle crashes across the country are caused by distracted errors – like speeding, distracted driving, and impaired driving.

According to GDOT’s Sam Woods, State Roadway Design Engineer, fatal crashes are down 14% this year in Georgia compared to this same time last year. Pedestrian crashes and roadway lane departures are also down.

Woods said people who are buckled up in their seat and children secured in proper equipment are seven times more likely to survive a crash.

“Especially when you’re in the back seat, if you’re getting into a crash that has a lot of energy, you have a much higher chance of not being able to walk away from that crash.”

Woods’ presentation said that across the country, 92% of fatally injured young drivers and their fatally injured passenger occupants (15-20 years old) were unrestrained in the back passenger seat, 45% in the driver’s seat, 56% in the passenger seat, and 86% in the back driver’s seat.

During the GDOT Board meeting on Thursday, other statistics presented included that someone hit by a vehicle traveling at 23 mph had a 10% risk of death, those hit at 42 mph have a 50% risk of death, and those hit at 58 mph have a 90% risk of death.