Law enforcement agencies across South Carolina are significantly increasing traffic enforcement this week as millions of drivers prepare to hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Thanksgiving remains the busiest travel period of the year. According to AAA estimates, approximately 73 million people are expected to travel by car between November 21 and December 5. This figure is higher than last year and accounts for nearly 90% of all travelers, indicating that more people are choosing to drive due to lingering uncertainty at airports, potentially stemming from the recent government shutdown.
In anticipation of the extremely high traffic volume, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) is reminding all drivers to prioritize safety by buckling up, avoiding mobile phone use, and never driving impaired.
Motorists can expect to see a higher presence of South Carolina Highway Patrol troopers and State Transport Police on the roads starting at 6 p.m. on November 26 and continuing until midnight on November 30.
The State Transport Police will concentrate their enforcement efforts on key violations, including impaired driving, speeding, distracted driving, and out-of-service violations involving commercial vehicles.
SCDPS officials noted that the 2024 Thanksgiving holiday period saw over 1,400 collisions across South Carolina, resulting in nine fatalities. A sobering statistic reveals that half of those deadly crashes involved an impaired driver.
This year, enforcement efforts will concentrate on reducing dangerous driving choices such as impaired driving, speeding, and distracted driving to ensure travelers arrive safely at their destinations. Drivers are urged to plan ahead, obey speed limits, and adhere to South Carolina’s new hands-free law, which took effect September 1st. This law prohibits drivers from touching or holding their mobile devices in any manner while operating a vehicle.
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