COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Public Safety announces a preliminary number of three persons killed on South Carolina roadways during the New Year’s Holiday Reporting Period, which started Thursday, December 31, at 6 p.m. and concluded Sunday, January 3, at midnight (a total of 78 hours). Preliminary details on these crashes are below. 11 persons were killed during the 2014-2015 New Year’s Holiday Reporting Period, which started Wednesday, December 31, 2014, and ended Sunday, January 4, 2015 (a total of 102 hours).

During the regular weekend period beginning Friday, January 1, at 6 p.m. and ending Sunday, January 3, at midnight, three persons were killed in crashes on South Carolina roadways.

As of January 3, 2016, three people have died on South Carolina highways, compared to eight highway deaths during the same time period in 2015.

Of the two motor vehicle occupants who have died in 2016, neither was a wearing seat belt.

Through midnight January 3, one pedestrian died compared to one in 2015; zero motorcyclists died compared to two in 2015; and zero bicyclists died compared to zero in 2015 on state roads and highways.

Editor’s note: These numbers are preliminary and are based on fatal collisions compiled by the South Carolina Department of Public Safety as of midnight January 3, 2016.

For more detailed information on archived traffic fatality reports, please contact Laura Caskey, (803) 896-9402.

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety includes the Highway Patrol, State Transport Police, Bureau of Protective Services, Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs, Immigration Enforcement Unit and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame. Our mission is to ensure public safety by protecting and serving the people of South Carolina and its visitors.