A crackdown on intoxicated driving in Kershaw County, South Carolina, is helping to reduce car accidents and save lives. The county sheriff's department has deployed a new six-person traffic unit, which has been provided with state-of-the-art equipment such as a $40,000 unmarked Dodge Charger capable of traveling at speeds over 100 mph to catch fleeing motorists.

Two of the sheriff's deputies assigned to the new unit are stationed at locations known to be DUI trouble areas. Last year, they already reduced the number of auto crashes and fatalities in the county. The number of traffic fatalities was down to 10, lower than the 14 occurring in the county the year before.

Collisions between vehicles were also down by a significant 20 percent since the county deployed the new unit. In the final six months of 2010, there were a total of 593 motor vehicle accidents. That figure was reduced to 472 during the same period of 2011.

This is a dramatic change for Kershaw County, which previously had one of the highest per-capita car accident death tolls in the state. Commentators on the program indicated that because motorists see more officers on the highways, it may result in more cautious driving. Some have suggested, in light of the program's success, that it be extended to other counties in the state.

In the last six months, officers in the new unit wrote 2,470 speeding tickets as well as 500 citations for failing to comply with seat belt requirements. Additionally, officers made 45 DUI arrests and issued 1,500 warning tickets. Twenty-seven motorists were also cited for failing to use child safety seats properly.

Overall, county officials say the new unit has been a worthwhile investment.

Source: The State, "Kershaw's new DUI unit saving lives in crackdown," John Monk, Jan. 30, 2012