Event was part driver education, part law enforcement

Staff Writer

rseaborn@pickenssentinel.com

CLEMSON - A multi-agency law enforcement task force hit the street Friday night in a massive check-point, stopping all lanes of S.C. 76 traffic while officers checked drivers' licenses, insurance cards and vehicles during a five-hour safety inspection of drivers.

The safety checkpoint, which began at 9 p.m., was set up in a level and highly visible section of the highway just outside of Clemson and near the Anderson County line.

Clemson Police Chief Jimmy Dixon said about 35 officers from his department, Clemson University Police Department, the S.C. Law Enforcement Division, the S.C. Highway Patrol, the Pickens County Sheriff's Office and the Pickens County Probation and Parole joined forces to conduct the safety checkpoint in an effort to bring awareness to driving cautiously.

"The fatality rate in vehicular crashes was at an all-time high last year," Dixon said. "Those rates have dropped a little this year, and we want to place an emphasis on drivers' education and enforcement of the laws."

According to a report released by the S.C. Department of Public Safety, 17 people died last year on Pickens County roadways. Ten fatalities have been reported in Pickens County during 2008, the report said.

This year alone, 571 people have died in vehicular crashes in South Carolina, the report said.

The recent safety check point resulted in the issuing of 58 traffic citations for violations ranging from faulty equipment, driver license and seatbelt violations and driving under suspension, Dixon said.

Several DUI arrests and charges for having an open container of alcohol in vehicles were also made, he said.

In addition, four arrests were made for possession and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamines, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and the illegal carrying of a weapon, Dixon said. All drug charges included possession with intent to distribute within the vicinity of a school, he said.

Once an annual occurrence, Dixon said about seven years have passed since the last such safety checkpoint was held.

"It has been awhile, but with the emphasis being placed on driving safety, we thought it was a good time to conduct another one," he said.

Planning and organizing the large event took time and dedication, he said.

"It took a lot of planning to put this together," he said. "We had a lot of personnel and various agencies involved."

The Central Rescue Squad participated, bringing generators and lights, illuminating the highway for the safety of the officers and drivers, he said. The Emergency Preparedness Division of Pickens County allowed the use of their command post vehicle, ensuring that the officers maintained communications, he said.

"This was the state, county and local municipalities coming together to work toward making our highways safer," Dixon said.

The majority of travelers caught up in the safety checkpoint didn't seem upset by the slight delay.

One driver, her children safely buckled in while they munched on ice cream cones and pointed at the rotating blue lights, smiled at a highway patrolman as she handed him her driver's license.

"This is wonderful," she told the trooper. "I am really glad to see you all out here."