FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 21, 2001
CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, 803-896-8755

SCDPS RELEASES PSA ON HIGHWAY SAFETY AS FATALITY RATE CLIMBS TO 1,000 FOR THE FOURTH STRAIGHT YEAR

COLUMBIA - The South Carolina Department of Public Safety today released a public service announcement showing a family being notified that they have lost a loved one in a traffic collision -- a scenario that has been played out in 1,000 families in South Carolina so far this year.

"While this public service announcement is fictional, what it represents is all too real," said DPS Director B. Boykin Rose. "It shows a family receiving the devastating news of losing a loved one. Our troopers and officers throughout the state have had to deliver that news more than 1,000 times this year."

This is the fourth year in a row that highway fatalities have topped 1,000. As of Friday, the highway fatality rate in South Carolina stood at 1,002. In 1998, there were 1,001 people killed -- the most since 1988, which had 1,033 fatalities. The trend continued with 1,064 killed in 1999 and 1,063 in 2000. The final figures for 2001 will not be in until next year.

Earlier in the year, DPS was running consistently behind last year in highway deaths as it put together strong enforcement measures such as Click It or Ticket, aerial enforcement and Operation STOP. However, budget cuts halted the aerial enforcement and the Legislature brought the Click It or Ticket program, which had been highly successful in increasing seatbelt usage and saving lives, to a halt. Budget cuts also had a significant impact on the number of troopers who could be exclusively devoted to problem areas throughout the state for strong enforcement measures.

The Upstate leads the state this year with the greatest number of fatalities. So far this year, the top five counties for highway deaths are Greenville County with 78, Spartanburg with 73, Horry with 62, Richland and Anderson with 48.

DPS is urging TV stations to air the public service announcement in the final days of the year, when travelling can be most deadly. New Year’s eve is an especially dangerous holiday with a substantial increase in drinking and driving. Thirteen people died last New Year’s eve.

"Troopers will blanket the state on New Year’s eve, conducting checkpoints and increased enforcement in an effort to get drunken drivers off our roads," said Col. Mike Kelley. "We hope the PSA coupled with strong enforcement will make people think twice before driving irresponsibly."

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