November was a month without a single traffic death in Houston County, according to a news release Monday from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.

Rolling Thunder operations in Houston County officially passed the halfway point last weekend with the third enforcement wave of the highway safety initiative that started Nov. 6. To date, the operation has resulted in 149 arrests for driving under the influence, 150 citations for child safety-seat violations and 28 warnings for seat belt and child safety-seat violations, according to the news release.

“That’s 149 potential drunk driving crashes that were prevented because law enforcement officers in Houston County and the public officials who support them cared enough to protect Houston County families on the roads this holiday season,” said Bob Dallas, director of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety.

“That’s more than 300 potential crash victims who get a second chance to save the lives of those they love by simply buckling a safety belt,” added Capt. Roger Hayes of the Centerville police. Hayes is the Law Enforcement Coordinator for the Middle Georgia Traffic Enforcement Network. “We know this rigorous seatbelt enforcement means 300 Houston County families who will double their chances of surviving a highway tragedy, especially during the high traffic levels during the holidays.”

Before the Rolling Thunder operation began there were 11 traffic fatalities in the county this year, according to the news release.

Powell Harrelson, law enforcement coordinator for the highway safety office, said the statistics indicate the operation is making an impact on residents’ driving habits.

“The enforcement stats from these first three waves of Rolling Thunder show this operation is living up to its zero tolerance reputation with high-risk drivers,” said Harrelson. “Our operations model calls for officers to spot the unsafe drivers that make this area a high-crash corridor. So we’ll maintain this high visibility law enforcement presence for several more waves.”

Thunder patrols are keeping Houston County neighborhood roads safe by catching impaired motorists and high-risk drivers, according to the release. Officers made more than 1,800 contacts with motorists during the first three enforcement waves, and the taskforce has conducted 92 road checks in the county and local communities.

Among other statistics reported by the task force in Houston County:

° Patrols put the brakes on 157 speeders;

° Road checks took 158 uninsured or suspended drivers off Houston County roads;

° Sobriety checkpoints sent 149 drunk drivers to jail;

° Checking on tags, registration, license and insurance netted 132 arrests;

° Some 59 drug offenders were apprehended in autos; and

° 38 felony offenders were arrested and 37 fugitives wanted on outstanding warrants were caught.

“And while traffic enforcement is our focus, the community obviously benefits from the criminal element that has been interdicted here as well,” said Dallas.