S.C. drunken driving stats raise alarm ahead of New Year’s
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - South Carolina is the second worst state in the nation when it comes to the number of drunk driving deaths per mile, according to the nonprofit organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
And with the New Year’s Eve holiday coming up this weekend, it’s just another time to make people more aware of these statistics.
“It truly is a higher-risk holiday,” said Steven Burritt, regional executive director for the Carolinas.
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Many people recognize the holiday Dec. 29 through Jan. 1, and these celebrations often involve drinking alcohol. Unfortunately, many nights lead to some still getting behind the wheel.
Out of the nearly 740 DUI arrests Goose Creek Police Department has made since 2020, including arrests made so far in 2023, a total of 20 arrests took place between Dec. 29 through Jan. 1 each year.
Goose Creek Police Chief LJ Roscoe says they conduct checkpoints every month, and the number of DUIs they catch on New Year’s weekend is not that different than the average weekend.
Although this data might not seem extreme, Burritt says 30% of traffic deaths are caused by drunk driving and that increases to 50% during holiday weekends.
“Obviously, we think the best reason is so that they don’t harm themselves or an innocent person by making these decisions,” Burritt said. “But if the threat of a DUI is a cost and inconvenience that goes with that is what makes people change their minds, then know there’s a lot of law enforcement that will be out that night as well.”
Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Goose Creek Police want to remind everyone to have a designated driver this weekend or use a ride-sharing service. Folks in the hospitality industry need to pay attention to how much they’re serving. And although it might be difficult, intervene if a loved one tries to grab the keys when one knows they’re not eligible to drive.
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