Labor Day marks end of ‘100 deadliest days,’ officials push for road safety

HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - Labor Day marks the end of the “100 deadliest days of summer,” and law enforcement officials want everyone on the roads to practice safe driving.

“When you get nicer weather, when you get different holiday weekends and stuff like that, people are out to have a great time,” said Chris Starling, spokesperson for the Myrtle Beach Police Department.

But, with that great time comes more risks, as the busy summer season brings more traffic and potentially more drunk drivers to the roads.

The last big travel weekend before the end of the “100 deadliest days of summer,” or the days between Memorial Day and Labor Day when the most deadly crashes happen, is Labor Day weekend.

“We see heavy travel during the Labor Day weekend, especially along the coastal areas and on the interstate,” said LCpl. Lena Butler from the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

Butler says 14 people died on the roads during Labor Day weekend of 2022, and six of those deaths involved impaired driving. Horry County has seen more than 40 traffic-related deaths this year, while the state has seen more than 600.

Because of this, troopers are now bolstering current campaigns to enforce safe driving, like the long-running “Sober or Slammer.”

Butler says the goal of this campaign is “to reduce those traffic fatalities, and basically to reach our goal, which is target zero. Zero fatalities within the state.”

While campaigns like “Sober or Slammer” have been successful, authorities say they cannot keep the roads safe by themselves. They are encouraging anyone who sees anything suspicious behind the wheel to reach out to law enforcement.

“Public safety is basically a shared responsibility, so if you see something wrong or see something that doesn’t look right, it’s important you tell us,” said Starling.

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