ATLANTA — As the new school year begins across metro Atlanta, a new survey from AAA reveals troubling trends among Georgia drivers, especially in school zones.
The report shows that 70% of Georgians drive through a school zone or past a school bus stop during their daily commute, yet many admit to unsafe behavior behind the wheel. More than 40% said they have driven over the speed limit in an active school zone, and 28% admitted to using a handheld cell phone in those same areas.
“That’s a problem,” said AAA spokesperson Montrae Waiters. “Whether that is actually drinking coffee, not paying attention in school zones, maybe sometimes we’re putting on our makeup or talking on the phone early morning” these are all contributing dangers to driving in a school zone.
As part of its annual “Schools Open Drive Safely” campaign, AAA is urging drivers to be alert and slow down as students return to classrooms in districts like Douglas County, Henry County, Griffin-Spalding County, and Decatur starting on Thursday.
With school now back in session, speed cameras in school zones are being reactivated, a reminder for drivers that enforcement is also back. Efforts to ban those cameras during the last legislative session were unsuccessful, keeping the devices in place as part of ongoing efforts to reduce school related traffic incidents.
WSB’s Austin Eller contributed to this story