FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 3, 2002
CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, 803-896-8755

COLUMBIA -- The South Carolina Department of Public Safety announces that it will have all available officers working the highways, conducting stringent enforcement and holding public safety checkpoints during the heavily traveled Independence Day period, which will last this year from 6 p.m. July 3 until midnight July 7.

“July 4 is one of the most deadly holidays on our highways because it falls during the summer travel season and because of the historically high number of alcohol-related collisions during that time,” said DPS Director B. Boykin Rose. “Our fatality numbers are already grim this year going into the holiday period.”

Even though the official Fasten For Life campaign ended Memorial Day, there will still be a strong emphasis on seat belt and child restraint enforcement during the holiday period as well as a concentrated effort on the high crash corridors identified through the Memorial Day Fasten For Life campaign.

DPS also joins others states around the nation in Operation C.A.R.E., a nationwide effort to reduce fatalities on our highways by a concerted enforcement effort during heavy travel periods.

This past weekend, 15 people died on South Carolina highways. So far this year, 506 people have died compared to 503 at this time last year; 299 vehicle occupants were not wearing seat belts.

Since 1995, 95 people have died on South Carolina highways during the July 4 holiday periods; 19 of those people died in alcohol-related collisions. The largest number of deaths in recent years was in 2000 when 26 people died, which was also over a 102-hour period like this year will be.

For a list of public safety checkpoints, please log onto the DPS web site at www.scdps.org.

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