S.C. brings back ‘Highways or Dieways’ safety campaign
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - If you’re hitting the road on New Year’s in South Carolina, you can expect all-hands-on-deck from South Carolina Highway Patrol and local law enforcement.
This year, there have been over 920 deaths on South Carolina’s highways.
While the number is part of a downward trend, it’s nowhere near the target of zero.
Troopers say the best way you can prepare to be safe this year is to have a plan in place.
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“We’ll never tell you not to go out and not have fun with friends, not have fun with family and partake in all the activities. We’ll never tell you that,” SCHP’s Nicholas Pye said. “All we ask is that you put a plan in place, have a sober driver, use a rideshare service, whatever, stay at somebody’s house.”
Whatever you’re going to do, start planning now to prevent yourself from making a terrible decision, he said.
Overall traffic fatalities in South Carolina are at their lowest in years.
And troopers want to keep things that way.
The South Carolina Department of Public Safety has brought back its “Highways or Dieways” safety campaign to try to prevent collisions.
It’ll be featured on billboards, on videoboards and in public service announcements.
Traffic safety enforcement will also pick up this week as the South Carolina Highway Patrol begins its “Sober or Slammer” campaign to target impaired driving over the holiday travel period.
That’ll mean more law enforcement on the roads and DUI checkpoints.
Troopers remind drivers that collisions and deaths are often preventable.
“They are preventable when people make a choice to not wear a seat belt, or they make a choice to drink and drive, or they make a choice to speed excessively or taking their eyes off the road to text or scroll on their cellphone,” said Col. Christopher Williamson, South Carolina Highway Patrol commander.
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