20 die in Georgia car accidents during Labor Day weekend, department of safety says

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - As travelers flooded the roads before and during Labor Day, 20 people died in car accidents and thousands more were issued citations in Georgia, according to a preliminary report from the state’s department of public safety.

Starting on Friday and ending on Monday, 2024′s Labor Day weekend saw more than 550 crashes with over 200 injuries. State troopers and officers also made more than 24,000 traffic stops, issued over 13,000 citations and arrested more than 480 drivers for operating a vehicle under the influence, the department said.

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Of the 20 deaths, seven were reported from law enforcement agencies in metro Atlanta. Dunwoody and Morrow police reported two deaths, Bibb and Pike County deputies also reported two, and deputies from Putnam, Richmond and Rockdale Counties reported three, according to the department.

The American Automobile Association reported that Labor Day travel is up by about 9% this year compared to 2023. The Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport was also packed, as the Transportation Security Administration said it expected its agents to screen more than 17 million passengers between last Thursday and this Wednesday nationwide.