Holiday travel in South Carolina for this July 4th holiday weekend is expected to increase 12 percent - due in part to steady gas prices.
Approximately 450,000 South Carolinians are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home this weekend, and most of which will be driving, AAA Carolinas says.
Increased traffic can lead to increased crashes and fatalities - something the S.C. Highway Patrol is attempting to prevent through stepped up enforcement and license checks, said Lance Cpl. Billy Elder of the patrol.
This weekend falls in the middle of the patrol's crackdown: 100 Deadliest Days of Summer, the weeks between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and Elder said motorists should expect to see a "saturation" of troopers using radar to catch speeders, checking driver's licenses, and watching for people not wearing seat belts.
"This is when we take a step back, look at everything and go at our mission plan to reduce fatalities," he said.
During last year's July 4th weekend, 16 people died on South Carolina roads, four more than the same weekend in 2008.
So far this year, 13 people have died in 12 crashes in York County, Elder said. But, through Thursday evening, no motorist had been killed in York, Chester and Lancaster counties since the summer crackdown started in late May, according to patrol records.
Unfortunately, July has been deadly on York County's roads in the past, Elder said. Last year, 10 people died on area highways during July, according to Herald archives. The causes ranged from driver inattention, speeding and alcohol related.
This year, the patrol has partnered with the state's Department of Natural Resources to help prevent collisions on the water as well. Elder said to expect to see troopers near boat ramps this weekend.
"Motorists need to be extra careful as July 4th has been rated by traffic safety experts as the most dangerous day for traffic fatalities nationally," said David E. Parsons, president and CEO of AAA Carolinas. "Avoid drunk, drowsy and distracted driving to help protect against on-road tragedies."
Motorists can help prevent fatal crashes by reporting an erratic or impaired driver by calling *hp on a mobile phone or an area law enforcement agency.
One reason for increased travel expected this weekend is that gas prices have held the line compared to last year. The state average is around $2.45 a gallon. The national average is $2.776 a gallon.
