‘100 Days of Heat’ safety effort shows reduced fatalities in SD

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PIERRE — Preliminary reports show South Dakota’s “100 Days of Heat” safe-driving campaign resulted in fewer highway fatalities than the 10-year average for the same period.

During the period from the start of the Memorial Day weekend through the end of the Labor Day weekend this year, South Dakota recorded 50 fatalities as a result of highway crashes.

Statistics from the State Office of Highway Safety show that for the past 10 years, the average number of fatalities during the same period was 61.

“Too many people are still dying and being injured in crashes on South Dakota highways,” said Col. Craig Price, superintendent of the Highway Patrol. “However, we experienced a significant reduction this summer compared with the long-term averages, and that is encouraging.”

The focus of the summer-long campaign was on drunken driving, seat belt use and speeding, which are all major factors in a majority of highway fatalities and injuries.

The Highway Patrol, State Office of Highway Safety and law enforcement agencies across South Dakota cooperated in the “100 Days of Heat” campaign.

Because more than half of South Dakota’s traffic fatalities generally happen during the summer, the education and enforcement campaign targeted the period from Memorial Day through Labor Day. That’s a span of about 100 days. The campaign included law enforcement efforts, public education, public service announcements and non-traditional marketing elements.

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