Driving in Henry County described as nerve-wracking, police cracking down
HENRY COUNTY, Ga. - State and local law enforcement agencies are cracking down on dangerous driving in Henry County. This comes as traffic deaths in the area have skyrocketed in recent years.
Some drivers in Henry County say even getting on some roadways can be nerve-racking.
"It's just like if you're not going as fast as they want you to go they zoom," Annie McGruder said.
"Especially for old people because we don't drive fast. And then when they run up on you. It, like, scares you," she added.
In fact, officials say traffic deaths in Henry County rose by 88% over the last five years, with 45 people killed in 2022. And they say crashes related to speed are up even more.
That is where the Governor's Office of Highway Safety's Thunder Task Force comes in. Since Thursday, they have partnered with local and state agencies to enforce traffic laws in the area.
"We're going to be doing road checks we're going to be doing saturated patrols," Powell Harrelson, law enforcement coordinator with the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, said.
"We're going to be looking for anything. It's going to be zero tolerance. If you don't have a seatbelt on, if you've got your phone in your hand, or if you're drinking, or if you're speeding, we're going to stop you, and issue you a citation," he added.
Officials say hundreds of citations were issued in just the first few hours of the operation, but they say safety is their main priority.
"My goal was to go out there tonight, and not stop the first car, and not write the first ticket. If we do that, we have voluntary compliance, and we don't have to worry about it. That would be my goal. That would be my ultimate goal," Harrelson explained.
And some drivers in the area hope it will leave an impact, so they feel safer on the road.
"I'm pleased that there's more police out here that is watching them because it is terrible," McGruder said.
Drivers in Henry County can expect to see the extra patrol through Sunday.