Operation Southern Slow Down in Full Swing

Operation Southern Slow Down is in high gear this week on southern state highways. The Glynn County Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic Team (HEAT) is actively monitoring traffic on I-95 to ensure safety and compliance with speed limits. On Tuesday alone, forty drivers were stopped.

This marks the eighth year of the week-long speed awareness and enforcement campaign, running from July 15-21 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The Glynn County Police Department’s HEAT team, along with state and local law enforcement officers across these states, are conducting concentrated enforcement on interstates and major highways.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 12,151 people were killed in crashes involving speeding in the United States in 2022. In Georgia, the number of passenger vehicle occupants killed in speed-related crashes increased by 56 percent between 2018 and 2022.

NHTSA offers the following safety reminders:

Faster speeds require longer to stop a vehicle.
The stopping distance quadruples every time a driver doubles their speed.
Allow more stopping time for bigger vehicles when traveling downhill on wet or uneven pavement.
Check the speedometer when approaching a curve and apply the brakes before the curve.
Set a good example by driving at the speed limit, as children will usually drive in the manner they see adults.
Give speeding drivers plenty of space and allow them to pass if they are following too closely.
Stay out of the far-left lane unless passing another vehicle.
Always wear a seat belt.

Stay vigilant and drive safely during Operation Southern Slow Down.