The Georgia Department of Public Safety says 15 people lost their lives in traffic crashes across Georgia during the 2026 Independence Day holiday travel period, underscoring the dangers of one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.
The Georgia Department of Public Safety says 12 people were killed on Georgia roads during the 2026 Memorial Day holiday travel period.
The 78-hour reporting period ran from 6 PM Friday, May 22, through midnight Monday, May 25. During that time, officials reported 298 traffic crashes statewide, with more than 150 injuries.
Law enforcement officers also made 329 DUI arrests and issued 708 distracted driving citations, along with 911 seatbelt citations. Officials say 31 crashes involved impaired drivers.
The 2026 fatality count was double the number reported during the same holiday period in 2025, when six people were killed on Georgia roads.
One of the fatal crashes was reported Sunday morning in Northwest Georgia’s Troop A region and claimed the life of a 24-year-old.
Public safety officials continue urging drivers to slow down, buckle up, avoid distractions, and never drive under the influence.
As Georgia travelers prepare for the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the Georgia Department of Public Safety is urging drivers to make safety a top priority.
The Georgia State Patrol is warning drivers about a scam involving fake text messages claiming to be from law enforcement.
According to GSP, scammers are sending messages saying recipients have outstanding violations or fines connected to their vehicle. The messages may threaten enforcement action or arrest and urge people to click a link to make a payment.
State officials say GSP troopers will not send text messages demanding money, threatening arrest, or asking drivers to click a link to resolve official violations.
Anyone who receives one of these messages should not click the link, reply, provide personal information, or send payment.
Drivers who are concerned about a possible citation or fine should contact the Georgia Department of Public Safety or their local court directly using verified contact information.
Officials say these scams are designed to create fear and urgency, and drivers should slow down, verify first, and contact the proper agency directly if they have questions.
Four Georgia State Troopers have been terminated following an internal investigation into misconduct involving personal injury claims, according to the Georgia Department of Public Safety.
In a statement released by the agency, officials said the investigation began after information surfaced in January 2026 indicating that several troopers were filing personal injury claims tied to incidents stemming from vehicle pursuits.
The Department’s Office of Professional Standards conducted a review and found that the troopers had submitted numerous crash and incident reports to an attorney. That attorney then sought monetary settlements on their behalf from individuals involved in pursuits that had been initiated by the troopers.
Officials determined that the manner in which the claims were made violated department policy and ethical standards. As a result, all four troopers involved were dismissed.
The Georgia Department of Public Safety emphasized that the actions of those individuals do not reflect the agency as a whole, noting its commitment to professionalism, accountability, and maintaining public trust.
The investigation has concluded, and no additional details about the individuals involved have been released.
The Georgia Department of Public Safety reports that seven people died in automobile crashes statewide during the 102-hour New Year’s holiday travel period, as troopers and officers worked high-visibility patrols across Georgia, including routes serving Northwest Georgia.
The Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS) has released an activity report for the New Year’s holiday travel period, showing hundreds of citations and dozens of serious crashes statewide.
Georgia State Patrol and the Georgia Department of Public Safety released new enforcement and crash numbers Monday for the Christmas Holiday Travel Period, showing hundreds of citations and multiple fatal crashes statewide.
The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety has awarded the Georgia Department of Public Safety a Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic, or H.E.A.T., grant worth about $4.6 million to continue major traffic safety efforts across the state. The grant took effect October 1, 2025, and runs through September 30, 2026.
The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (CVE) Division of the Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS) marked a major milestone Friday with the graduation of its 14th Commercial Vehicle Officer (CVO) School at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth.