FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2001
CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, 803-896-8755

ON SOUTH CAROLINA HIGHWAYS DECEMBER 7 - 9

COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Public Safety announces a preliminary number of eight people killed on South Carolina highways from Friday, December 7, at 6 p.m. until Sunday, December 9, at midnight.

One motorcyclist was killed when his motorcycle struck another vehicle that pulled into his path. One person was killed when he pulled into the path of an oncoming vehicle, which struck the driver’s side of his vehicle. Two people were killed when a piece of metal came off a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction and struck the driver in the head, causing him to lose control of his vehicle. The vehicle struck a bridge and then overturned, killing both the driver and his passenger. Four other people died in single vehicle collisions. Only three of the motor vehicle occupants killed were wearing a seat belt.

As of December 9, 971 people had died on South Carolina highways, compared to 1013 last year at this time.

Editor’s note: These numbers are preliminary and are based on fatal collisions reported to the South Carolina Highway Patrol as of December 9, 2001.

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JB/156/2001

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