Prior to the implementation of the State Patrol Enhanced Enforcement Response (SPEER) in February 2000, Horry County was consistently ranked number one for traffic collision fatalities in South Carolina. Initially, the problem was attributed to an extremely high volume of tourism traffic within Horry County. However, once a selective enforcement plan was implemented, the county discovered that the traffic collision violation problems were occurring on secondary and county roadways. These are areas that are not familiar to tourists; therefore, it was local motorists who were involved in traffic collisions and fatalities. The SPEER Team’s enforcement efforts were then re-focused to those locations (secondary and county roadways shown based on statistical data) to be high collision areas within the county.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goal of SPEER was to:

• Reduce all types of traffic collisions (fatal, non-fatal, injury-related, and alcohol or drug related) by five percent;

• Increase the citations for violations such as failure to yield right-of-way, following too closely, disregarding signs or signals, improper lane change, and improper turn by 100 percent;

• Increase citations for speeding by 15 percent;

• Increase citations for safety belt/child restraint violations by one percent;

• Increase DUI arrests by 15 percent; and

• Conduct a minimum of 20 traffic safety presentations and 116 public safety checkpoints.

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

With a goal of reducing traffic collisions and fatalities within Horry County, the selective enforcement plan placed a strong emphasis on high visibility traffic enforcement, such as public safety checkpoints in areas shown to have a high collision rate. Horry County Highway Safety contracted with a local public relations firm to develop a public safety campaign that would provide broader public exposure through broadcast/print media and billboards. The team developed presentations addressing various highway safety issues that could be used for public safety presentations to local middle/high schools, businesses, and civic groups.

RESULTS

Traffic collisions decreased four percent (from 7,858 to 7,524); however fatal collisions increased four percent (from 77 to 81).

• Injury-related traffic collisions in Horry County decreased two percent (from 2,329 to 2,279). Furthermore, based on traffic collisions investigated by the South Carolina Highway Patrol, there was a two percent reduction in aggressive driving collisions (from 4,291 to 4,198).

• There was a 22 percent decrease in traffic collisions involving no occupant restraint usage (from 1,727 to 1,352).

• Citations for violations such as failure to yield right-of-way, following too closely, disregarding signs or signals, improper lane change, and improper turn increased 29 percent (from 117 to 151).

• Speeding citations increased 50 percent (from 1,413 to 2,122).

• A total of 1,672 citations were issued for violations of the state occupant laws, and 92 Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrests were made.

• Conducted 23 public safety presentations for more than 2,300 people.

• Conducted 86 public safety checkpoints.