Local & State Headlines

Many traveling despite gas prices

• Troopers predict 23 traffic deaths during the 3-day holiday weekend.

Susan McCord

ALBANY — Despite gas prices averaging $1.15 more per gallon than a year ago, about 1.17 million Georgians are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home this Fourth of July weekend.

The number of car travelers is down about 1.3 percent from 2007, a spokesman for AAA said.

With the Fourth of July holiday on a Friday, however, the Georgia State Patrol prepared for a busy three-day holiday period, which began at 6 p.m. Thursday and ends at midnight Sunday.

“The holiday travel period includes a Friday and Saturday night,” Col. Bill Hitchens of the Department of Public Safety said in a statement. “These are often the deadliest times on our roads during a holiday period.”

Estimates from the Department of Transportation and State Patrol are for 23 traffic deaths, 2,315 crashes and 1,094 injuries.

Last year, nine people died, and three of the crashes involved alcohol-impaired drivers, the statement said.

Troopers will be conducting road checks across the state, keeping a presence on interstate highways, but concentrating on secondary roads, where most crashes occur.

Last year, eight of the nine deaths occurred on highways, county roads or city streets, the statement said.

“The warmer weather and holiday parties tend to increase the number of impaired drivers on our roads,” Hitchens said. “If you will be traveling this holiday period, designate a sober driver before the party begins.”

Overall, road traffic is expected to be down about 1.3 percent from 2007, due largely to the price of gasoline, said Greg Laskoski, public relations director for AAA.

“There’s no question that the decrease is due to the rise in the cost of fuel,” Laskowski said. “What is significant is that this is the second consecutive holiday where we are projecting a decrease instead of an increase, also due to gas prices.”

Car travel was down from 2007 during the Memorial Day weekend, viewed as a harbinger for the entire summer travel season, he said.

Air travel is down 2 percent, with 102,586 Georgians expected to travel by air during the Fourth of July weekend, AAA reported.

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