South Carolina Department of Public Safety

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 24, 2010

CONTACT: Your Community Relations Officers, 803-896-8144

SCDNR, SCDPS ANNOUNCE 100 DEADLY DAYS OF SUMMER JOINT ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS

COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Highway Patrol and SC Department of Natural Resources are combining efforts and working with local law enforcement to save lives on the roadways and waterways this summer through enforcement and public outreach.  The SCDPS Office of Highway Safety announced that motorists will also be seeing Highways or Dieways spots airing to support its Buckle Up, SC campaign.  The agencies made simultaneous announcements in Columbia, Greenville, Rock Hill, Charleston, Conway, Aiken and Greenwood.

Last summer, 281 people died on the roadways over the summer months. Of those deaths, 117 of the 210 vehicle occupants were not wearing safety belts. The primary causes of the collisions were: 1. DUI; 2. Too Fast for Conditions; and 3. Running off the Road.

“Now -- more than ever -- it’s important that law enforcement pool resources and this combined effort is simply the most effective way to keep people safe on our highways and on the water,” said Highway Patrol Col. Kenny Lancaster Jr. “Tourist and in-state travel always rises during the summer months and historically, so do collisions and fatalities. Often those fatalities – on water and land – involve an impaired driver.”

DNR announces that 15 people have died on South Carolina waterways so far this year compared to 11 people who died in drowning and boating accidents the entire year of 2009.

“We have already seen more boating deaths this year than we did all last year on the water,” said SCDNR Col. Alvin Taylor. “That concerns us and we want to do everything we can to encourage boaters to wear life vests and to understand that boating under the influence can have the same deadly consequences as it does behind the wheel of a vehicle on the road.”

Col. Taylor said that his department will be looking out for boaters operating in a reckless manner, including speed and driving while intoxicated and not wearing personal flotation devices.

SCDNR and SCDPS introduced two public service announcements today that will begin airing around the state over Memorial Day weekend and are also slated to air July 4 and Labor Day weekends. About 100 billboards have gone up statewide announcing the enforcement efforts (see attached).

Memorial Day travel will begin this Friday at 6 p.m. Last year, seven people died on the highways during this time with more than 500 crashes statewide. Memorial Day is known is the official beginning of summer, which runs until Labor Day.

The SC Department of Transportation’s variable message boards will be used to remind motorists of the safety belt law as part of the Buckle Up, SC campaign. Last year, the state set a record of 81.5 percent of motorists using safety belts – and the total number of fatalities fell below 900 for the first time since 1995. 

Columbia Event 1: Highway Patrol Col. Kenny Lancaster Jr. (speaking); SCDPS Director Mark Keel (left); SCDNR Col. Alvin Taylor

Director Mark Keel speaks at the Columbia news conference joined by troopers, SCDNR officers, SCDPS officers and local law enforcement agencies.

Click Here for 100 Deadly Days Fact Sheet

Click Here for "Be Safe This Summer" Billboard

Click Here for  "On the Water & On the Road" Billboard

** "Message from Colonel" and "Summer Heat" PSAs are posted at http://www.schp.org/cro/current_events.html

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