Col. Mike Oliver, commander of the S.C. Highway Patrol joins me for Newberry NOTES this week. Col. Oliver oversees more than 800 troopers who are responsible for traffic enforcement statewide as well as non-sworn staff of nearly 300.
The main safety priorities planned for the Labor Day period are safety of our children and teenagers as they return to school. And of course, safety of the motoring public during the last holiday period of the summer.
The annual Sober or Slammer campaign with media events in conjunction with public safety checkpoints is being launched.
Sober or Slammer — DUI Enforcement
SCDPS and the Highway Patrol have kicked off the “Sober or Slammer” campaign with multiple media events in conjunction with public safety checkpoints. The public can expect to see increased law enforcement and there will be checkpoints set up around the state, running from Aug. 21 through Sept. 7.
Drivers should be prepared to show their driver license, registration and proof of insurance, and troopers will be looking for signs of impairment. We are also teaming with law enforcement in Georgia and North Carolina for public safety checkpoints/media events called Hands Across the Border from Sept. 2 to Sept. 4.
This is to show a united front border-to-border in keeping motorists safe as take one last long summer weekend.
Enforcement and Facts
Drivers may not be aware that sadly, approximately 22,000 people are arrested for DUI in this state each year. Most DUI related fatalities occur after dark, on a Saturday night or early on a Sunday morning — and on secondary roads.
Also, almost half of the people killed and severely injured in impaired driver-related fatal collisions are ages 15 to 35 and seven out of 10 weakened drivers in fatal crashes are male. Fifty-eight percent of at-fault drivers involved in fatal and severe injury DUI-related crashes are unrestrained as well.
We are strongly encouraging the public to buckle up and never get behind the wheel after drinking, even if you think you are OK to drive. Designate a sober driver. In other words, “Plan before you party.” DUI is not an accident, it is a choice.
Captain D. W. Yongue, commander of Troop Two, which includes Newberry and Saluda, reports that Saluda County had no fatalities in 2014. He is stressing safety of the motoring public during this last period of the summer.
Target zero: We are ending the summer travel months 100 fatalities ahead of where we were at this time last year. These are statistics we are not proud of. We need the motoring public to help us as we drive toward Target Zero. This uptick in fatalities comes after numbers had been trending in the right direction for several years.
I am excited to announce that we have received some great news this summer. Safety belt compliance rose again for the third straight year. We are now at 91.6 percent.
Through a partnership with SCDOT, we are also committing additional resources to fight fatalities. Just a few weeks ago, we introduced 24 new troopers as part of six Target Zero Teams focused specifically on fatality reduction through proactive enforcement.
There will be four troopers as part of six Target Zero Teams focused specifically on fatality reduction through proactive enforcement. There will be four troopers as part of each team. Their primary focus is on these three violations: DUI — Speed — Safety Belts.
On average, 800 people die each year in traffic collisions in South Carolina: 4 out of 10 traffic deaths involve a drunk driver; four out of 10 traffic deaths involve excessive speeding; about one half of those killed in collisions with access to seat belts did not use them.
In conjunction with announcement, SCDPS and SCDOT have also created a new web site that houses the long-range Target Zero safety plan as well as great information on how you can keep yourself and your family safe. We encourage the public to visit this site and take the safety pledge to help make our roadways safer. The web site sUMMis sctargetzeroplan.org.