(Columbia) –The South Carolina Department of Public Safety kicks off its annual Sober or Slammer! campaign today with a direct message about the results of impaired driving. The campaign message, “Drink. Drive. Die.” shows the reality of bad choices behind the wheel. On average, 300 South Carolinians die each year as the result of impaired driving. 

“In a world where information is abundant and fast-paced, law enforcement must be increasingly direct in getting the public’s attention about dangerous and deadly driving behaviors,” said SCDPS Director Leroy Smith. “Travel is historically heavy on Labor Day weekend as people celebrate the last long weekend of summer. Troopers will focus on preventing these deadly driving violations through concentrated enforcement and education efforts.” 

In the weeks prior to Labor Day, state and local law enforcement agencies will intensify their efforts to crack down on drunk driving and reduce DUI-related traffic deaths in South Carolina. The DUI enforcement and education efforts for Sober or Slammer! will begin this Friday, August 17, and run through Labor Day, September, 3, throughout the state.

As summer draws to a close, preliminary data show 212 people have died traveling South Carolina roadways this summer compared to 194 motorists in summer 2017. Since January, 610 people have died on our roadways compared to 615 last year at this time.

“We are asking the public to assist troopers by calling *47 to report suspected impaired drivers,”  said Col. Chris Williamson, SCHP Commander. “Some of the signs of an impaired driver include: driving erratically, weaving in and out of lanes, driving too fast or too slowly; and crossing the center line or drifting off the roadway.”

The Sober or Slammer! media campaign will launch new, impactful graphics (above), featuring a DUI-related collision with a motor vehicle taking the form of a crushed can. The graphic will be featured on a variety of platforms, including billboards, gas station graphics, social media, and website advertising. The graphics feature two messages – “Drink. Drive. Die.” and “Dial *47 to report a drunk driver.” Radio advertising on both over-the-air and streaming radio services will also complement the enforcement efforts.

The Sober or Slammer! campaign falls under the agency’s Target Zero initiative to end all highway fatalities and is part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over crackdown coordinated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The national effort includes state and local law enforcement agencies across the country. The campaign combines high-visibility enforcement with heightened public awareness through advertising and publicity.

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. https://scdps.sc.gov