Officials kick off safety campaign at Lake Blackshear

ALBANY — Georgia law enforcement agencies, including the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the Georgia State Patrol and the Department of Natural Resources, have joined together to stress holiday and summer safety with the “Get Together For Summer” campaign.

Officials of the agencies conducted a daylong media event on Wednesday at four popular boating destinations throughout the state, including West Point Lake, Lake Hartwell, Lake Allatoona and Lake Blackshear, to remind those behind the wheel on land and water to buckle up and drive sober.

“Last year, 1,432 people were killed on the roads of this state,” said Harris Blackwood of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. “Forty-two percent of them were not wearing seat belts. We want everyone, whether they are going to be on the water or on the roads, to come home safely from their Memorial Day holiday. We need the public to partner with us to make that happen. Law enforcement will be out in force this weekend. There’s your warning.”

According to Department of Public Safety Commissioner Col. Mark W. McDonough, one of the top distractions responsible for accidents today is the cellphone, which he called the “modern umbilical cord.”

“People seem unable to not respond to this thing,” said McDonough. “Let it wait. Keep safety a priority this summer as you get together with family and friends. Whether you are on the road or on the water, remember all Georgia safety laws, and make sure to properly secure children in safety seats and life jackets.

“Also, I would be remiss as a state trooper not to caution everybody about drinking and driving. Use the designated driver option. Most of us have a friend that will rally to the cause. If you are going to drink, make sure you have a designated driver, whether it’s on the roadway or the lake.”

The DNR advised that they will have their entire staff on the waterways during the holiday weekend.

“This past year, we had 626 boating fatalities nationwide, with 20 here in Georgia. That’s 20 too many,” said DNR Lt. Col. Jeff Weaver. “We can’t afford to have that. Alcohol use is the No. 1 contributing factor in recreational boater deaths. We see this year in and year out. These men and women in green and gray, that’s what they will be doing this coming weekend.”

Weaver also pointed out that boater education is now required by law for anyone born on or after 1998.

State Sen. Greg Kirk was present at Wednesday’s event and urged people to be safe and responsible.

“This is the lake I grew up on, and I’ve enjoyed it for many, many years,” Kirk said. “So, let’s just all be responsible and enjoy this Memorial Day weekend and thank these guys in uniform. They get phone calls at all hours of the night, believe me. It may be a weekend of rest for most people, but for this group, they are going to go into action. They are here for one reason, and that is public safety, to make sure you and I can go about our lives and enjoy the things we enjoy. But do it in a safe manner.”

For more information on Georgia’s Memorial Day safety efforts, visit www.gahighwaysafety.org or follow GOHS on facebook at www.facebook.com/GAHighwaySafety. For more information on boating laws and safety, visit http://www.gadnrle.org/.