Law enforcement agencies across the state will be increasing efforts to catch speeders on interstates and highways through Sunday.
The state Department of Public Safety announced Monday the kick-off of a new speed enforcement campaign, Operation Southern Shield, at the South Carolina State House. In doing so, the state agency joins counterparts in Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Tennessee.
"From July 17 to July 23, law enforcement serving the southeastern states of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Tennessee are mobilizing to increase enforcement of speed violations, as well as driving under the influence, distracted driving and failure to buckle up - with the goal of achieving a zero fatality rate for the seven-day period and beyond."
So far, 525 people have died on South Carolina roads this year, compared to 527 last year. Eleven of those fatalities happened in Clarendon County, compared to 10 in the same time period for the year before.
"It is tragic to see a summer vacation end with a highway fatality because someone chose to violate or ignore traffic laws that - if follower - could prevent crashes and save lives," said South Carolina Department of Public Safety Director Leroy Smith. "If the motoring public would take one important step - reduce their speeds behind the wheel - we could start to see lives saved immediately on our roadways."
Smith said too many lives are lost on roadways in the Southeastern United States as a result of those who violate the most basic traffic safety laws.
He said that Operation Southern Shield focuses on a heavy summer travel period when the rate of fatal and injury crashes within the Southeastern U.S. is higher than any other time of the year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 37 percent of all fatal roadways collisions in South Carolina in 2015 were speed-related.
“We all know that summer brings increased congestion on our roads as residents and tourists alike enjoy all that South Carolina has to offer from the mountains to the coast,” said Highway Patrol Commander Chris Williamson. “Our goal: Help people arrive alive by reducing traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities.”
