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Drivers beware: Crackdown on interstate speeding begins July 19

Operation Southern Slow Down will see increased speed enforcement along interstates and highways in five Southern states July 19-22

COLUMBIA, S.C. — For those drivers who have a tendency to fulfill their need for speed, be careful out there during the week of July 19-22. State troopers and law enforcement agencies across five Southern states will be making a coordinated effort to crack down on speeders during Operation Southern Slow Down.

Motorists in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee can expect to see an increase of marked and unmarked patrols on highways and interstates during the week.

The crack down on speeders comes as law enforcement across the Southeast -- and across the nation -- have reported a substantial increase in the number of vehicles traveling at speeds over 100 mph in the past two years.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also reports an increase in overall traffic fatalities and speed-related traffic deaths, despite a decrease in total traffic crashes. In 2020, the number of people killed in crashes in the U.S. increased by 6.6 percent compared to 2019. Speed was a factor in 29 percent of total traffic fatalities in the U.S. in 2020, a 3 percent increase from the previous year. The number of people killed in crashes involving speeding increased by 17 percent in 2020.

Recently, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety reported nine people were killed on South Carolina roadways over the 2022 Fourth of July weekend (period beginning Friday, July 1, at 6:00 p.m. until Monday, July 4, at 11:59 p.m.)

The NHTSA offers the following safety tips for drivers to keep in mind:

  • The necessary stopping distance quadruples every time a driver doubles their speed.
  • Allow more stopping time for bigger vehicles, or when traveling downhill on wet or uneven pavement.
  • Apply the brakes before entering a curve.
  • Set a good example for young drivers by driving at the speed limit.
  • If speeding drivers are following too closely, allow them to pass.
  • Always wear a seat belt.

South Carolina Highway Patrol reminds drivers of these rules of the road when operating a vehicle on roads and highways:

  • Move Right Law, effective August 2021, requires slow-moving motorists to move over to the right lane of traffic. Drivers should use the left hand lane(s) only when overtaking and passing another vehicle.
  • Move Over Law requires drivers to slow down and yield the right-of-way or change lanes when approaching emergency vehicles.
  • Distracted Driving Law makes it unlawful to use a wireless electronic communication device to compose, send, or read a text-based communication while operating a motor vehicle on public streets and highways in the state.

   

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