But Mr. Condon wants more security measures at all rest areas, whether they have restrooms or not, according to Rick Daniel, the task force's executive director. Mr. Daniel said. Georgia officials think they have found the right balance to protect motorists. They will share their solutions with South Carolina officials in a meeting planned for Aug. 24, said Jilayne Jordan, spokeswoman for the Georgia Department of Transportation. Georgia rest areas, which always include restrooms, are flat and well-lighted, with no dark and shadowy places to hide.
Vegetation is limited, and buildings are spread out.
Georgia State Patrol officials make frequent sweeps through the rest areas to make their presence known and discourage illegal activity, Ms. Jordan said. Besides gathering ideas from neighboring states, Mr. Condon said he will address South Carolina's recent problems by providing a secure message board for law enforcement on the attorney general's Web site. The site will allow law enforcement to trade information regarding problems at rest stops. Another suggestion made at the June Safe Stops task force meeting was using more than 500 state constables as volunteer security presence to patrol rest areas. Constables are appointed by the governor and have statewide authority.