Driving on Thanksgiving? Police on watch for speeders, drunk drivers in these SC areas
Fewer Thanksgiving holiday travelers are expected on South Carolina roads this week because of the COVID-19 pandemic, travel and law enforcement officials say. But police will make sure highways are safe, officials said.
“It is still a holiday weekend and a long one from Wednesday through Sunday,” said Master Trooper Gary Miller of the S.C. Highway Patrol. “Some people will stay home this year, but we have five million people in South Carolina. We will have extra patrols on every day through the weekend.”
Miller said troopers will target drunk drivers and DUI enforcement. Speed enforcement and pedestrian safety is another priority, Miller said.
In 2019 during the Wednesday through Sunday Thanksgiving weekend, 22 people died on South Carolina roads, according to S.C. Department of Public Safety statistics. Six of those deaths in 2019 were pedestrians.
There were 207 DUI arrests in 2019 in the holiday weekend, and troopers issued more than 4,000 speeding tickets.
“The easy answer is for people to not drink and drive, and observe a safe speed at all times,” Miller said. “Safe driving is the responsibility of everyone who gets behind the wheel. The person who has been drinking at any gathering is not the person to drive to the grocery store.”
Through Tuesday in 2020, 822 people have died on South Carolina roads, according to the S.C. Department of Public Safety. That total is down five from the same period in 2019, statistics show.
In nearby Cherokee County, ongoing construction on Interstate 85 for more than 20 miles is expected to cause delays all week, troopers said. Drivers are urged to plan for delays through Cherokee County.
Deputies in York, Chester, and Lancaster counties will patrol area roads through the weekend, officials said. York County Sheriff’s Office patrol units and its traffic enforcement team will work through the weekend, said Trent Faris, spokesman.
“Our people will be patrolling and watching out to keep people safe,” Faris said. ‘We urge all people to drive safely and never drive after drinking.”
Chester County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Grant Suskin said deputies will be working safety checkpoints with highway patrol troopers.
“We want to encourage everyone to stay safe and be responsible during the holiday weekend,” Suskin said.
Extra officers will be working through the weekend in the city of York on traffic enforcement, said Sgt. David Dover, administrative officer for the York Police Department.
Gas prices and holiday travel
Gas prices are far lower than 2019, officials said.
Gas prices are about 40 cents lower statewide, according to Gas Buddy and AAA Carolinas. South Carolina’s average gas price is $1.87 a gallon, Gas Buddy said on is Web site. In 2019, gas prices during the Thanksgiving holiday were around $2.28 in South Carolina, AAA reported.
The Centers for Disease Control has recommended that people do not travel and congregate for Thanksgiving. AAA expects a reduced number of highway travelers this year versus 2019 because of the pandemic, rising numbers of COVID cases, and cautions against gatherings, the travel company said in a statement.
The highway travel volume is expected to be the lowest in four years, AAA said. AAA urged anyone who does travel to be cautious.
“Usually cheaper gas prices are an incentive for people to travel during the holiday weekend,” said Tiffany Wright, spokesperson for AAA Carolinas. “That’s not the case this year. We’ll see a significant decrease in Thanksgiving travel due to the spike in positive COVID cases and the latest CDC guidance, which has prompted people to reconsider traveling and spend the holiday at home.”
At Charlotte-Douglas Airport, the closest airport to York County, airport officials expect the highest travel volume since the pandemic began, according to the Charlotte Observer. Volumes of around 17,000 passengers on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are expected, with 22,000 passengers expected on Sunday, the Observer reported.
Weather
Rain is expected in York County Wednesday night into the early hours of Thanksgiving, according to the National Weather Service. Dry conditions will return later Thanksgiving Day and Friday, with showers possible Saturday and Sunday, weather service forecasters said.
Even with wet conditions at the beginning and end of the holiday weekend, temperatures are expected to stay mild with highs in the 60s and lows in the high 40s.
This story was originally published November 24, 2020 at 12:04 PM.
