The Thanksgiving holiday travel period ended Sunday night with 15 traffic deaths reported to the Georgia State Patrol.

"In our five-county area, including Elbert, Lincoln, Oglethorpe, Taliferro, and Wilkes counties, there were 201 citations given over the Thanksgiving holiday, five of which were for DUI," said Sergeant Scott Andrews of the Georgia State Patrol. "We investigated three accidents with zero injuries, which is a plus. Two of those accidents took place on the interstate. I'm happy to report that there were no fatalities in our area."

While the number of traffic deaths statewide was lower than expected, rainfall across the state since Friday contributed to a higher than normal number of traffic crashes and injuries on Georgia roads.

The final count for the 102-hour holiday period was 4,542 traffic crashes, 1,073 injuries and 15 fatalities. The Thanksgiving holiday travel period began Wednesday, November 26, at 6 p.m. and ended at midnight on Sunday. Traffic estimates had been for 3,325 crashes, 950 injuries, and 19 fatalities.

Rain that began Friday morning was a contributing factor to numerous crashes and injuries over the holiday period. Between Friday noon and the end of the holiday count Sunday night, there were 3,514 traffic crashes and 811 injuries reported.

There were 15 fatal crashes reported across the state during the holiday period resulting in 15 traffic deaths. During the 2007 Thanksgiving holiday travel period, there were 21 fatal crashes that resulted in 27 traffic deaths.

The next holiday travel period is the 102-hour Christmas holiday period that begins on Christmas Eve at 6 p.m. and ends at midnight on Sunday, December 28.

The Georgia State Patrol holiday traffic counts are conducted each year for the Memorial Day, July Fourth, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's holiday travel periods.