WMBFNews.com | Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC | News, Weather, SportsTroopers out in full-force over the holidays

Troopers out in full-force over the holidays

COLUMBIA, SC (WMBF) – The South Carolina Highway Patrol will have more troopers on the roadways this Thanksgiving holiday when travel is predicted to be higher than last year.

The Highway Patrol expects increased congestion particularly on the interstates and main arteries and areas such as I-95 and I-26 in Orangeburg County where traffic will merge. The official holiday travel period begins Wednesday at 6 p.m. and ends midnight Sunday.

AAA Carolinas is predicting 569,000 South Carolinians will travel more than 50 miles from home. That would be an increase of 2.3 percent over 2008. Automobile travel is projected to increase by 3.3 percent over 2008 while air travel is set to decline by 6.6 percent, according to a AAA Carolinas study.

Last year, there were 13 fatal collisions and 14 motorists killed in collisions over the Thanksgiving holiday period.  Fatalities are slightly down going into Thanksgiving this year but have risen since summer; 805 people have died so far this year compared to 816 last year.  

In addition to heavy travel Wednesday, local travel will increase Friday as people officially begin their holiday shopping. This typically presents congestion and minor traffic collisions around shopping areas.

"Motorists need to be aware – especially during heavily traveled times on our roadways – to keep a safe and adequate following distance and keep their attention fully on the roadway, scanning ahead for potential hazards," said Highway Patrol Col. Kenny Lancaster Jr. "One of the primary problems we encounter during this time are collisions caused by vehicles slowing due to the congestion and then other vehicles not being able to stop due to speed, following too closely and inattention."

The Highway Patrol will boost its presence through the use of administrative personnel from headquarters and Troop offices especially during the heaviest travel times on Wednesday and Sunday. The primary focus will be on the violations that troopers typically see during Thanksgiving travel including speed, impaired driving and occupant restraint.

Additionally, the Highway Patrol will be working with the State Transport Police and other local law enforcement agencies conducting public safety checkpoints and joint enforcement efforts to hold collisions and fatalities down.

The Highway Patrol's new DUI team will be actively working throughout the holiday season. Since July 2009, the 31-member team has made 945 DUI arrests. DUI collisions are down their year by 14 percent compared to last year.

Highway Patrol DUI arrests continue to increase. They are up 35 percent since 2005.

Motorists are encouraged to call *HP if they suspect a driver is impaired. Some of those signs may include weaving erratically in and out of lanes, failure to maintain a consistent speed, failing to yield right of way to other motorists, failure to obey traffic signs or signals.

The Highway Patrol advises motorists to move a disabled or wrecked vehicle (if there are no injuries) as far out of traffic as possible; activate emergency flashers, and call *HP on their mobile phones. The Emergency Scenes law also requires motorists to move to the adjacent lane when they see flashing lights from emergency vehicles.     

Parents are also encouraged to talk with their teen drivers about these safety tips. With the holidays approaching, teens will be out of school, which often means being on the roads later at night and going to parties and activities that may involve alcohol.  Most of the fatal collisions during the late night/early morning hours are due to fatigue or drunken driving.  

Troopers and some Families of Highway Fatality members will be at rest areas and Welcome Centers to distribute safety literature and educate visitors about South Carolina traffic laws and to advise them of heightened enforcement.

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