Drivers in Georgia crashed much more than expected over the holiday weekend but had a third fewer injuries and half the traffic deaths predicted by the Crash Reporting Unit at the Georgia Department of Transportation

The Georgia State Patrol reported 2,231 crashes, 614 injuries and 9 fatalities for the 72-hour Labor Day weekend period. The GSP and GDOT had predicted 1,725 traffic crashes, 975 injuries and 18 traffic deaths.

The GSP's Conyers Post, which covers Rockdale, Newton and Walton Counties, reported six crashes, five injuries and one fatality in Walton County over the holiday weekend, compared to seven wrecks and six injuries last year.

Last year across the state, during the 78-hour holiday period, there were 1,660 traffic crashes reported that resulted in 798 injuries and 19 fatalities.