ATLANTA — The Thanksgiving holiday travel period ended Sunday night with 15 traffic deaths reported to the Georgia State Patrol. While the number of traffic deaths 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.

Post 42 in Rincon reported 202 crashes, 35 injuries and a fatality. Springfield resident Rita Brost was killed in a Sunday morning wreck.

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 Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. and ended at midnight 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 at 6 p.m. Christmas Eve and ends at midnight Sunday, Dec. 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.