The “100 Deadly Days of Summer” came to a close at the end of the Labor Day holiday weekend and the South Carolina Highway Patrol is happy to announce that numbers are down from last year. Previously, this infamous stretch of summer days was responsible for 255 deaths in 2009, but this year 193 people had been killed in car accidents . These statistics are consistent with the pattern of declining fatal accidents we’ve seen over the last few years.
According to one state trooper in this news report, they believe three factors contribute to this decline in fatalities. For one, a recent study showed that more and more South Carolina residents are buckling up and using their seat belts. In addition, more DUI task force teams are on patrol, cracking down on drunk drivers. Lastly, safety program for things like impaired driving (such as the Sober or Slammer campaign) and seat belt usage seems to be getting the message across to drivers.
That state trooper exclaimed, “All in all, we are optimistically pleased to see that number continue to come down. Any life that is lost is one too many, but we are glad to see that number come down.” As a South Carolina personal injury lawyer , I couldn’t agree more. There were 4 reported fatal car accidents over the holiday weekend, but none in Aiken County.