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"Aggressive drivers and those drinking and driving will be targeted when some 30 officers from law enforcement agencies across Georgia join Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police in a 90-day traffic enforcement operation," a police spokesman says.

"Operation Thunder" begins today when visiting officers will join Metro in "road checks and saturation of high traffic areas in all five precincts."

The operation is being held in collaboration with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. The operation was invited to the area by Metro Police Chief Julie Tolbert after a series of fatal hit and run incidents involving pedestrians and some 11 fatal and 24 serious injury accidents so far this year.

“Serious and fatal accidents are among the most heart breaking events we respond to and it is so disturbing to realize most could have been prevented with just a little more caution on the part of motorists, pedestrians and cyclists,” Tolbert said. “Some of these victims are children and many of them were doing absolutely nothing wrong when someone else’s carelessness brought them tragedy. We hope this operation will help us curtail that.”

The operation is overseen by Metro Traffic Unit Lt. Greg Mitchell who is steering it towards traffic hot spots through road checks, speed enforcement and school zone enforcement. Visiting officers will join his traffic officers and precinct patrol officers through August 29.

“Speeders, aggressive drivers and drunk drivers will be sought out in an attempt to make our streets and highways safer,” he said, pointing out that extra efforts will be made to address roadway safety during the July 4 weekend.