SCDPS launches Sober or Slammer crackdown ahead of busy holiday weekend
(WCIV) — Traffic is expected to boom over the Labor Day weekend and the South Carolina Department of Public Safety is working to meet that increase in motorists out on the roadways by stepping up enforcement and education efforts as part of the Sober or Slammer campaign.
File Photo
Photo: Columbia Police Department
According to the SCDPS during the Labor Day weekend in 2025, 10 fatal collisions were reported, two of which involved impaired drivers. This year it is anticipated that there will be even more people out on the roadways with the start of the college football season and the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway taking place all on the same weekend.
“Every year, we see increased traffic during Labor Day weekend, especially around our coastal areas and waterways,” SCDPS Director Robert G. Woods IV said. “The public can expect to see our troopers and State Transport Police officers working alongside local law enforcement to reduce collisions this weekend, but everyone has a role to play. Drivers can do their part by obeying the posted speed limits, putting away the phone while driving, and planning ahead for a sober ride home if your celebration includes drinking alcohol.”
Sober or Slammer enforcement will return this year beginning on Sept. 4 and running through Sept. 7, with the goal of keeping roads safe as hundreds take streets for travel. The campaign is an enforcement and education initiative focused on curbing impaired driving on South Carolina roads and runs in coordination with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.
“Drinking and driving is a dangerous choice that has serious consequences,” SC Highway Patrol Colonel Christopher Williamson said. “The decision to drive while impaired can turn a quick trip home into a tragedy. If you plan to drink alcohol, make the smart choice – put the keys down and call a sober friend, taxi, or rideshare. No celebration, destination, or inconvenience is worth risking a life.”
In combination with the extra enforcement, SCDPS has ramped up its public education efforts by continuing its partnership with NASCAR driver Ross Chastain and Darlington Raceway to bring the Sober or Slammer message to NASCAR fans during the Labor Day weekend. Sober or Slammer billboards featuring Chastain have been placed across the state.
Labor Day also marks the end of the 100 Deadly Days of Summer which is the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when the number of traffic fatalities historically increases. According to preliminary data from the SCDPS, as of September 3, 590 people have been killed on South Carolina roadways since the beginning of the year. This is 56 fewer fatalities on SC roadways compared to the same time last year.
