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Deadly Days

Memorial Holiday Kicks Off 100 Deadly Days of Summer

Nearly one out of every two people in fatal collisions in South Carolina were not wearing a seat belt during the 100 Deadly Days of Summer period in 2025.

Posted
South Carolina Department of Public Safety
COLUMBIA — Memorial Day marks the start of the 100 Deadly Days of Summer travel season as the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) steps up its Buckle Up, South Carolina (BUSC) campaign reminding motorists seat belts save lives and reduce injuries.  
According to preliminary statistics, nearly one out of every two people in fatal collisions in South Carolina were not wearing a seat belt during the 100 Deadly Days of Summer period in 2025. Additionally, nearly one in four people who were involved in severe injury collisions in South Carolina were not wearing a seat belt during the same period. 
“The busy travel period from Memorial Day to Labor Day is typically when we see a rise in traffic fatalities in South Carolina,” SCDPS Director Robert G. Woods IV said. “Now is the time for all South Carolina motorists to recommit to safe driving practices, which includes something as simple as wearing a seat belt.” 
Drivers will see an increased law enforcement presence along the state’s roadways during a special enforcement by the South Carolina Highway Patrol and the State Transport Police May 22 through May 25, 2026. The effort includes law enforcement partners statewide and supports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) national seat belt enforcement mobilization.  
Eight people were killed on the state’s roadways during last year’s Memorial Day travel period compared to six deaths in 2024 and two fatalities in 2023 during the same timeframe.  
“It’s concerning to see those statistics trending in the wrong direction,” SC Highway Patrol Colonel Christopher Williamson said. “This is a situation where every driver can make a difference with smart decisions behind the wheel—buckle up, slow down, put down your phone and drive sober. During the holiday weekend, we are positioning a trooper every 10 miles on our interstates to help enforce these safe driving practices.” 
State Transport Police Colonel Dwayne Wilson said his officers will focus on roadway safety this summer by ensuring commercial motor vehicle drivers and passengers are prioritizing safe driving practices. 
“Roadway safety is a shared responsibility, and it’s critical for commercial drivers to take the right actions to reduce collisions and avoid serious injuries and deaths. Seat belts are a key part of that but reducing speed and eliminating distractions are equally important,” STP Colonel Dwayne Wilson said. 
SCDPS has partnered with NASCAR driver Ross Chastain for the fourth consecutive year to reinforce safe driving habits and serve as the spokesperson for the SCDPS paid media educational campaign, Buckle Up, South Carolina.  
Chastain will again appear in ads on social media platforms, as well as on billboards and on radio stations. He says in a video PSA that he never drives his personal or professional vehicle without a seat belt and reminds drivers to, “Click it. Don’t risk it.” 
The BUSC campaign is part of SCDPS’s education activities and represents a long-term strategy to reduce traffic fatalities in South Carolina. More information about the BUSC campaign can be found on theagency’s website. 
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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, 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.
 
Seat Belts PSA here.
 

Memorial Day Weekend Marks the Start of Critical

Summer Season for Blood Donations

Hospitals Brace for 100 Deadliest Days of Summer

PIEDMONT — Memorial Day weekend signals the unofficial start of summer for most Americans. For hospitals and emergency responders, it also begins one of the most demanding stretches of the year, when crashes, burns and severe traumas increase across the country.

The Blood Connection (TBC) is using the weekend ahead to remind communities across South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia that trauma readiness depends on blood donors showing up before emergencies happen. Because blood has a limited shelf life, hospital supplies must be replenished week after week throughout the summer.

For trauma teams, the clock does not start when a patient arrives at the hospital. It starts the moment the injury happens. In the most serious emergencies, blood already on the shelf can be the difference between a hospital being ready to respond and a patient waiting for help that cannot be manufactured on demand.

“Memorial Day is when we honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to this country. One way we can carry that spirit of sacrifice forward is by showing up for the people who may need us next," said Delisa English, President & CEO of The Blood Connection. “A strong blood supply relies on a community willing to step up for their neighbor. Every trauma patient who arrives at a hospital this summer is depending on a donor who showed up before the emergency happened.”

"What we see every summer is predictable. Trauma volume climbs, and the demand for blood climbs with it," said Dr. Robert Rainer, Medical Director for The Blood Connection. "What is not predictable is the individual patient—the swimmer, the driver, the worker or the cyclist. We can't know who will need blood this weekend or next month. We can only make sure it is there when they do."

How to Help

Donors are encouraged to make an appointment at one of TBC’s 22 community blood centers and 60-plus bloodmobiles across South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia, making it easy for donors to give close to home or on vacation.

To schedule a donation appointment or find additional drive locations, visit thebloodconnection.org.

About The Blood Connection

Founded in Greenville, SC, The Blood Connection has been committed to saving lives since 1962. TBC is an independently managed, not-for-profit, community blood center that provides blood products to more than 145 hospitals and emergency partners within South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia. TBC works diligently to collect blood from volunteer donors to meet the ever-increasing demand. By keeping collections local, TBC serves hundreds of thousands of patients a year in its communities. TBC is licensed and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. For more information, visit thebloodconnection.org.

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