MACON, Ga. — Both Memorial Day and July 4th saw record-high travel, and it brought out more law enforcement to patrol the streets. A study by the Vacationer Travel Journal says more than 200 million Americans plan to travel this summer.
However, you may have noticed this week that a lot of officers are patrolling. It's all for Operation Southern Slowdown. In addition to Georgia, states like Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee are all participating in the efforts.
It's a way for law enforcement to help reduce speeds — and save lives — during one of the most dangerous times of year on the roads.
Denise Vanderwarf traveled through Central Georgia Thursday on a seven-hour road trip.
"We left Zephyrhills, Florida this morning about 5:30 a.m. We haven't had any trouble at all," Vanderwarf said.
She was headed to see her daughter in Kennesaw along with her husband and her dog. They stopped in Macon just before noon for a quick break.
"People have been rolling along. We haven't run into any heavy traffic," she said.
They didn't have to deal with any accidents or wild drivers either.
"Well some people do go like crazy, but all and all, it's been really nice," she said.
They even drove through a bit of rain, but one thing they couldn't avoid since leaving Florida is law enforcement.
"One drove by, [but] most of the police have been on the side of the road," she said.
Throughout the southeast, officers have been on high alert. Law enforcement call the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day the 100 deadliest days of summer, so as you prepare to hit the road remember to buckle up — and slow down.
"It does slow people down when they see a lot of us out there, but unfortunately there are those few who still speed by, so we're gonna get them," Sgt. Raul Mejia said.
Mejia works with the Georgia State Patrol. He says with summer travel at a high point, they want to keep everyone safe.
"We're trying to decrease the fatalities that happen throughout the state speed is one of those contributing factors," he said.
Speeding is a leading cause of traffic fatalities. In 2023, Georgia saw over 1,600 traffic deaths.
"It's hard to tell a family member that they had a loved one that passed away. It's not an easy task," Mejia said. "It's something we don't look forward to, and it's something that gives us drive to do our job."
He reminds people that they should drive safe year-round. He says people should hit the road early, so they aren't running late. He says to wear a seatbelt, slow down and be a defensive driver.
The Southern Slowdown runs all the way through Sunday, July 21.