February 18, 2003
CONTACT: Sid Gaulden, 803-896-8755
COLUMBIA -- The South Carolina Department of Public Safety announces a preliminary number of nine people killed on South Carolina highways from Friday, February 14, at 6 p.m. until Sunday, February 16, at midnight.
One man has been charged with two counts of felony driving under the influence and with driving under suspension after a single vehicle ran off the road and slammed into a tree in Georgetown County. Two passengers died in the collision, including a two-year-old who was the only person in the vehicle in a safety restraint. A pedestrian, who was kneeling in the road, was struck and killed in Lancaster County and two people died in separate head-on collisions in Aiken and Lancaster Counties. Four other people died in separate collisions in Berkeley, Calhoun, Darlington and Lexington Counties.
As of February 17, 84 people had died on South Carolina highways, compared to 120 last year at this time. Of the 66 motor vehicle occupants who have died in 2003, 44 were not wearing seat belts.
|
Interstates |
0 |
|
US routes, SC routes and secondary roads |
9 |
|
Seat belt used |
3 |
|
Seat belt not used |
5 |
|
Seat belt usage not applicable |
1 (pedestrian) |
The South Carolina
Department of Public Safety includes the Criminal Justice Academy, Division of
Motor Vehicles, Highway Patrol,
Office of Highway Safety, State Transport
Police, Bureau of Protective Services and Office of Justice Programs. DPS has
more than 2,600 employees in offices statewide. Our mission is to ensure public
safety by protecting and serving the people of South Carolina and its visitors.
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SG/22/2003