100 Deadly Days of Summer Begin Memorial Day Weekend as South Carolina Ramps Up Enforcement
May 23, 2026
Memorial Day marks more than the unofficial start of summer in South Carolina. For law enforcement, it signals the beginning of what officials call the “100 Deadly Days of Summer,” a period stretching through Labor Day that historically brings a sharp rise in traffic fatalities across the Palmetto State.
The South Carolina Department of Public Safety says the summer travel season is consistently among the most dangerous times of year on state roads. The numbers bear that out: eight people died in traffic crashes during last year’s Memorial Day travel period alone, up from six in 2024 and two in 2023.
“The busy travel period from Memorial Day to Labor Day is typically when we see a rise in traffic fatalities in South Carolina,” said SCDPS Director Robert G. Woods IV. “Now is the time for all South Carolina motorists to recommit to safe driving practices, which includes something as simple as wearing a seat belt.”
Seat belt use is at the center of the campaign. State data shows that in 2025, roughly half of everyone killed in a summer traffic fatality in South Carolina was not buckled in, and about one in four people who sustained serious injuries in crashes were also unrestrained.
Motorists should expect a heavier law enforcement presence on roads throughout the summer, with troopers and State Transport Police targeting impaired driving, speeding, aggressive driving, distracted driving, hands-free violations, and seat belt compliance.
In the Upstate, drivers will notice troopers stationed at regular intervals along major interstates. “Whether you see that trooper stopping a vehicle or just stationed on the side of the road, that officer presence is there for traffic safety,” said Master Trooper Mitchell Ridgeway of the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
The enforcement effort is part of the statewide “Buckle Up, South Carolina” campaign, coordinated with a national mobilization supported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Safety officials remind all drivers to buckle up on every trip, designate a sober driver, keep phones put away while behind the wheel, and plan for heavier-than-usual traffic throughout the summer travel season. The 100 Deadly Days of Summer concludes Labor Day, Sept. 7.
