Concerns on holiday travel closer to home

The highways might not be so busy across the nation this holiday weekend, travel experts say.

Economic concerns and financial worries are expected to reduce the number of Americans traveling this July Fourth weekend by almost 2 percent compared with 2008, according to AAA. This comes despite the fact that gas prices are down nationally and by about $1.50 in Georgia compared with last year. The average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline in Georgia on Wednesday was $2.49, according to AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report.

Lynda Hines, a spokeswoman for Augusta's AAA Auto Club South, said its customers appear to be taking shorter vacations than in the past. They are also scheduling trips later.

"They are kind of waiting to see what kind of deals pop up, and they're doing a lot of last-minute travel," Ms. Hines said.

The holiday weekend officially starts at 6 p.m. today and ends at midnight Sunday.

As more people are expected to stay close to home there is an added challenge for local traffic officials.

With First Friday and the Fourth of July falling on the same weekend, authorities say they are beefing up their staffs to prepare for the holiday weekend celebrations.

At least 20 extra deputies will be taking to the streets of Richmond County this weekend in preparation for the two downtown celebrations, said sheriff's Lt. Scott Gay.

Deputies will be watching for speeders, reckless drivers and, as always, motorists under the influence of alcohol.

"We are deploying resources to cover those areas as well as the increased number of vehicle traffic on the roadways," Lt. Gay said. "We want to make sure everybody is safe and doing what they're supposed to do."

State officials are also urging motorists to be careful.

IN GEORGIA, the weekend is expected to yield 22 traffic deaths. That is the number of people who died on Georgia highways last year, said Gordy Wright, a spokesman for the Georgia Department of Public Safety.

"Anytime you have a holiday period that includes Friday night and Saturday night, you see an increase in the number of deaths and injuries," he said. "The chances of coming in contact with an impaired driver increases."

The Georgia Department of Transportation's crash-reporting unit estimates 1,874 crashes this weekend, compared with 1,860 in 2008, and 85 traffic injuries, compared with 910 last year.

Mr. Wright said he expects the heaviest traffic on the first and last days of the holiday weekend -- today and Sunday. Impaired drivers are most likely to be on the roads and highways between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. from Friday to Sunday.

"There will be many sobriety checkpoints through those peak periods," he said. "We'll be working with local law enforcement to keep the roads safe."

IN SOUTH CAROLINA, Highway Patrol officials announced Wednesday that a new DUI enforcement team will add 31 troopers statewide.

The new troopers will focus exclusively on drunken-driving enforcement and are expected to monitor DUI hot spots during the weekend.

The state does not predict holiday traffic fatalities.

Staff Writers Preston Sparks and Stephanie Toone contributed to this article.

Reach Adam Folk at (706) 823-3339 or adam.folk@augustachronicle.com.