Crime & Safety
19 Die in Traffic Accidents over the Thanksgiving Holiday
Speed, alcohol or failure to wear a seat belt are blamed in almost all of the fatal crashes.
The 102-hour Thanksgiving holiday travel period ended at midnight with 19 traffic fatalities reported across the state. The Georgia State Patrol investigated 11 of the 19 fatal crashes that occurred between 6 p.m. Wednesday and midnight.
The 19 traffic fatalities is one more than in 2011.
State troopers investigated a total of 622 traffic crashes during the period that resulted in 263 injuries. Of the 11 traffic deaths investigated by troopers, alcohol is suspected as a contributing factor in 4 of the crashes, and 7 of the victims were not using seat belts. There was one fatal pedestrian collision investigated by troopers.
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Almost all of the fatal crashes involved either speed, alcohol or the victim failing to use a seat belt.
Local law enforcement agencies investigated eight of the fatal crashes, including a single-vehicle accident in Forsyth County on Thanksgiving Day and a three-vehicle accident in Norcross on Sunday morning.