Troopers talk traffic safety at welcome center

Two South Carolina troopers are spending part of the day talking traffic safety with I-85 drivers who pull into the state Welcome Center at Fair Play. And, why not? According to the motor club AAA, the day before Thanksgiving has earned the nicknames of “Blackout Wednesday” and “Drinksgiving” because it’s sometimes a more popular partying night than New Year’s. And one of the four key pieces of advice from Lance Corporal Joe Hovis of the highway patrol is to never drink and drive, especially on a holiday weekend. Last year South Carolina recorded 1,034 highway fatalities—one-half of them involved people drinking and driving. AAA says there’s plenty you can do to keep safe if you drink and travel during the holidays: Have a plan if you plant to drink at night and call a taxi or use a ride-sharing service.