FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 26, 2004

CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, 803-896-8409

HIGHWAY PATROL ACE TEAM BEGINS SPECIAL MOTORCYCLE UNIT ENFORCEMENT IN DEADLIEST AREAS OF STATE

COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol division today began a special enforcement effort using troopers from its ACE Team Motorcycle Unit to work some of the deadliest, high-crash highways throughout the state through August 27.

“We have been successful in the past with channeling our resources and manpower toward those areas statistically showing an overabundance of collisions and fatalities,” said DPS Director James Schweitzer. “We saw collisions drop during similar enforcement initiatives last year.”

The fatality rate continues to climb in South Carolina, outpacing last year at a similar time. There were 963 fatalities in 2003. Through Sunday, 553 people have died this year compared to 499 last year.

Beaufort County will be the first area of concentration, beginning today and focusing on such areas as US 278, SC 170, SC 46 and US 21. Enforcement concentration will follow in Greenville County including such areas as SC 146 (Woodruff Road), US 25 from SC 291, US 276 (Poinsett Highway) beginning August 2; Colleton County including US 17, SC 64, SC 63 beginning August 16 and Cherokee County including SC 18 and US 29 beginning August 23. Highway Patrol collision research shows that these areas are seeing the most rapidly rising collision and fatality rates.

Motorcycles have some enforcement advantages over conventional Patrol vehicles including the ability to move through congested traffic more effectively. 

“The number one deterrent to bad driving on our highways is high visibility enforcement. The mere presence of our troopers – whether on motorcycle or in patrol cars – curtails violations,” Col. Russell F. Roark, Highway Patrol commander said. “Our goal is to alter poor driving behavior through a strong enforcement presence.”

The motorcycle unit will place much of its focus on Monday-Friday 6 a.m.- 8 p.m. – times and days shown to attract the most collisions. The most common offenses leading to collisions on these highways include following too closely, failure to yield, improper lane changes and speeding.

--30--