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Law enforcement reminds travelers to drive safely this Thanksgiving

If you plan on hitting the highway this holiday season, be sure to buckle up and pay attention

MACON, Ga. — With Thanksgiving almost here, motorists will definitely be seeing heavier traffic during their commute.

To help ensure that drivers make it to their destination safely, Georgia law enforcement are starting their "Click It or Ticket" week. Officers will be cracking down on seat belt violations and distracted driving laws. 

Central Georgia sheriffs, along with Georgia State Patrol and the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, began Monday with road checks in Warner Robins and Macon. 

"Do not pick up that phone or send any texts," says Peach County Sheriff's Office Captain Tony Trice. "Pay attention to your surrounding. Pay attention to the vehicles in front of you."

In addition to distracted driving, law enforcement needs drivers to know that seat belts are not optional. 

Wearing a seat belt greatly decreases the risk of death when a car crash happens. Trice has firsthand knowledge of how life saving a seat belt can be after a car crash left him in the hospital. 

"I braced for the impact, but I also had my seat belt on," says Trice. "I only got a bruised rib and a bruised lung out of that, so it did save my life."

The Governor's Office of Highway Safety encourages drivers to avoid drowsy driving, limit distractions, and not attempt to make up time by speeding.

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