August 31, 2000
CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, 803-896-8755
DPS STEPS UP ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS TO ENSURE
SAFE TRAVEL DURING LABOR DAY HOLIDAY
COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Public Safety today announced that its officers will be out in full force over the upcoming Labor Day weekend, stepping up their enforcement efforts in an attempt to prevent collisions and the associated fatalities and injuries.
"The Labor Day holiday weekend has historically been one of the busiest travel times on our roads," said DPS Director Boykin Rose. "The South Carolina Highway Patrol and State Transport Police will aggressively enforce all motor vehicle laws in an effort to ensure that these end-of-summer travelers reach their destinations safely."
In 1999, 1,064 people died in traffic collisions, a 6.3 percent increase from 1998. The mileage death rate, which is the number of people killed in collisions per 100 million vehicle miles of travel, increased from 2.3 in 1998 to 2.4 in 1999, which is 60 percent above the 1.5 national average.
Both the South Carolina Highway Patrol and the State Transport Police are making a concerted effort to reduce the number of traffic fatalities. They are concentrating their enforcement efforts in those areas where there are a high number of traffic crashes, focusing on violations that are the leading cause of traffic fatalities. Officers from both of these DPS law enforcement divisions will be out in full force during the upcoming Labor Day weekend, conducting public safety checkpoints and strictly enforcing all traffic laws.
"As we wrap up the ‘100 deadly days of summer,’ we want to call the high fatality rate to the public’s attention in the hope that people will realize the importance of driving defensively and obeying all traffic laws," said B. Boykin Rose, Director. "It’s going to take each of us doing the responsible thing on our highways to turn this deadly trend around."
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JB/103/2000
Editor’s Note: The highway fatality message line (803-896-8092) will be activated during the Labor Day holiday weekend, which runs from 6 p.m., September 1 until midnight, September 4. Members of the media may call this number, which will be updated at 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. each day during the holiday weekend, to obtain information on fatalities reported to the Highway Patrol.