SC DOT: make highways safe over Labor Day weekend

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina highway officials want motorists to drive safely this Labor Day weekend as they report highway fatalities have risen over last year.

Department of Transportation Secretary Robert St. Onge (ahnj) says drivers should observe speed limits, buckle up, and not drive while impaired. The official says no one wants a time of celebration to become days of tragedy.

The department reports that as of the end of August, 526 people have died this year on the state’s highways, an increase over the 516 deaths registered at this time last year.

The holiday weekend is particularly dangerous because roads may be congested with vacationers and out-of-state travelers.