WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | South Carolina ranks second in DUI-related deaths

South Carolina ranks second in DUI-related deaths

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - Heading into the holiday travel season, law enforcement is cracking down on drunk drivers. In South Carolina, the highway patrol is putting extra troopers on the road.

South Carolina had the second highest level of drunk driving deaths in the country last year. 463 people died in crashes involving alcohol.

South Carolina state troopers were out Wednesday for the start of the Thanksgiving weekend, not to ruin a person's holiday but to keep drivers safe.

"What we're focusing on are violations that affect a person's quality of life," said Cpl. Brian Benfield, minutes after pulling over a driver for going 90 in a 60 mph zone.

Benfield and other troopers handed out citations for mostly speeding. Benfield says troopers will have zero tolerance for drunk drivers.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one out of every three fatal accidents across the country in 2008 were alcohol-related. But when you look at South Carolina alone, that figure almost doubles. Nearly two out of every four fatal accidents were alcohol-related.

That deadly percentage makes the Palmetto State second worst for DUI deaths in the country.

Also, according to the NTSA, South Carolinians drank more per capita than those who live in Georgia and North Carolina last year.

The numbers don't surprise Amy Encinas.

"No,  because people want to go out and have a good time and don't think about the consequences," said Encinas.

She knows the consequences all too well. Her son, Kenneth Encinas, was hit and killed by a drunk driver.

"He chose to get behind the wheel," said Encinas. "He took off down McConnells Highway and wanted to hit the first thing he saw moving which was my son."

Encinas is now an advocate on a DUI victim impact panel in York County to tell other DUI offenders her story of the consequences of driving drunk.

Troopers say they'll be on the highways 24/7 over the Thanksgiving weekend, and warn drivers if you drink and drive, "You're gonna pay the price," said Cpl. Benfield.

The Palmetto State is doing a little better on traffic fatalities this Thanksgiving: 808 so far this year, compared to 818 by this time in 2008. That's still far too many for the highway patrol.

"We're going to always emphasize safety," said LCpl. Josef Robinson. "We're going to always emphasize that we don't want people out there drinking and driving. And it may not get through to everyone but to some, it's going to get through and those are everyone we want to try to save and we don't anyone to be involved in a collision. We must continue this, this is our message and we're going to say that. We're going to continue to be out in force."

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