May 22, 2008

CONTACT: LOCAL CRO, 803-896-8144

MEMORIAL DAY BEGINS DEADLY SEASON ON ROADWAYS:

SCDPS INCREASING ENFORCEMENT DESPITE LIGHTER ROADWAY TRAFFIC PREDICTIONS

COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Public Safety is planning to increase enforcement despite the fact that AAA is predicting travel will be down this year. Motorists in and around Horry County can expect travel to be up over the weekend as bikers head to the coast for the Atlantic Beach Bike Fest running from May 23-28.   The official travel period begins at 6 p.m. tomorrow evening and runs until Monday at midnight.

Last year, 20 people died over the 78-hour travel period including six motorcyclists. The good news is that South Carolina enters the most deadly period of the summer with fatalities running behind last year at this time. There have been 368 killed this year compared to 402 last year; 277 of the 368 people killed were motor vehicle occupants with access to seat belts. Of those 277 people, 184 were not wearing safety belts.

AAA Carolinas is predicting a drop in Memorial Day weekend traffic compared to last year due to the increasing gasoline prices.

“Even with traffic counts predicted to be down, we plan to increase our presence as we do every Memorial Day weekend,” said Highway Patrol Colonel Harry Stubblefield. “The first weekend of summer has historically been a dangerous time to travel. We don’t want people to let down their guard.”

For the second year, SCDPS is teaming up with the SC Department of Natural Resources to conduct joint enforcement efforts on water and roadways – especially surrounding popular waterways. The two agencies have produced a public service announcement again this year highlighting the partnership.

Safety officials call the period from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day the “100 Deadly Days of Summer” because traffic fatalities and collisions rise as the highways become increasingly congested with out-of-state travelers.  Last year, 325 people were killed in the period from Memorial Day through Labor Day with 13,000 injured in collisions.

The Department, with the cooperation of local law enforcement, kicked off its Buckle Up, SC (BUSC) campaign on May 16, which will run until June 1. The campaign’s goal is to increase safety belt usage by 5 percentage points over last year, up to 79.5 percent.

To emphasize the importance of wearing safety belts in motor vehicles, SCDPS is highlighting the three collisions in a crash:

• Vehicle collision: Vehicle slams into another vehicle or fixed object (guard rail, tree, etc.)
• Human collision: Body slams into other occupants and/or interior of vehicle or is ejected from the vehicle through one of the windows
• Internal collision: Internal body parts slam against each other and/or the body’s skeletal structure causing internal bleeding

During the BUSC campaign, the SC Department of Transportation (SCDOT) will allow use of its electronic message boards across the state to help remind motorists to wear safety belts. The posted message will be “Buckle Up.  It’s the law.”

Stubblefield says motorists should periodically check their driving behaviors for aggressive driving such as improper lane changes, tailgating and speed. Motorists should also ensure they – and all passengers – are buckled up not matter how short the trip. Driving under the influence becomes more problematic during summer months especially long weekends such as Memorial Day.

“Motorists should be on heightened alert for potential intoxicated drivers and contact law enforcement if they suspect someone is driving under the influence,” Stubblefield said.