Share and Follow
COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. () – There’s less than two weeks until Christmas, and holiday shopping is in full swing. That means more cars on the roads, more distractions, and more accidents.
Leaders at the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office said they’ve seen the most traffic incidents on busy roads like Washington – especially near the stores at Mullins Crossing.
“Traffic has been terrible,” said shopper Amie Peace. “People haven’t been paying attention when they’re driving. I normally try to get out super early in the morning so I can beat the crowds.”
And the crowds are no joke.
“The other day me and my wife were in here shopping for some Christmas gifts and there were so many people out here that you couldn’t help but bump into people,” said shopper Jeremiah Rutledge.
A traffic supervisor for the sheriff’s office said growth in the county has already caused more traffic congestion…and more wrecks.
Read Related Also: Why is Christmas abbreviated as 'Xmas'?
“I think the most causes we see of wrecks would be speeding, failure to yield, pulling out from and [not] yielding at intersections like Washington and Belair, running red lights, and following too closely,” said Sgt. Ty Mobley.
Sgt. Mobley said drivers not paying attention is a big issue as well.
“The bigger screens in cars have been an issue because I have several people in several of the wrecks I’ve worked tell me, ‘oh, I was trying to change the radio’ or ‘I was doing something with navigation,’” he said. “So, it’s still an electronic device but unfortunately it’s in your car.”
Shoppers we to have noticed this too, but with cell phones.
“The biggest thing, especially when you’re getting into the entry points of these different stores and stuff, I think the biggest issue and the biggest cause of the traffic is texting and driving pretty much,” Rutledge said. “I would just encourage people to be safe on the roads. During the holiday times, I think it’s between Thanksgiving and New Years, that’s when the most accidents happen.”
We want to remind you that Georgia is a hands-free state, so wait until you’re safely parked to check off that Christmas wish list.
