Troopers, Police to Step Up Holiday Traffic Patrols

Be warned. The South Carolina Highway Patrol, along with local authorities, will be out in force this Labor Day Weekend looking for speeders and drunk drivers. 

As of August 28, 2013, there have been 195 fatalities in the first 97 days of the 100 Deadly Days of Summer.  That compares to 204 fatalities in the same number of days in 2012.  That reduction equates to a 4.4 percent decrease in highway fatalities from a similar time frame last year. As of August 28, 2013, 462 people have died on South Carolina highways compared to 545 deaths last year during the same time period.

Labor Day is a 78-hour holiday weekend beginning Friday evening at 6 p.m. and ending Monday at midnight. Last year, two people died during the long travel weekend. In addition to the enforcement, the public is asked to continue working in partnership with law enforcement by calling *HP if they suspect an impaired driver.

The Highway Patrol is continuing its participation with local law enforcement in the Sober or Slammer! Labor Day enforcement blitz, which runs through the weekend. Highway Patrol will have additional troopers on the roadway, including administrative staff.  The State Transport Police will join with the Highway Patrol to monitor commercial motor vehicle traffic, and the SC Department of Transportation will be using variable message boards on highways around the state to display a DUI enforcement message. Additionally, television commercials and billboards will continue urging motorists not to drink and drive.

Friday is traditionally the heaviest travel day of the Labor Day period. Clemson will play at home on Saturday adding to the traffic congestion in the Upstate. Motorists are asked to be aware of congestion as well as additional law enforcement presence on arteries around the stadiums.  

Stats from previous Labor Day weekends:

2010 — 10 fatalities in 8 fatal crashes

2011 — 7 fatalities in 6 fatal crashes

2012 — 2 fatalities in 2 fatal crashes