Every Life Lost to Impaired Driving Leaves a Family Forever Changed

National Impaired Driving Prevention Month arrives as South Carolina continues to face some of the most troubling impaired driving numbers in the country. The statistics are not abstract. They represent families shattered, communities shaken, and officers spending long nights on the road trying to stop tragedies before they happen. As holiday celebrations increase, so do the risks, and the impact is felt across every corner of our state.

Publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that alcohol impaired driving remains one of the most persistent threats on America’s roads. In 2023, 12,426 people were killed in crashes involving a driver with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher, representing 30 percent of all traffic fatalities nationwide. That is an average of one life lost every 42 minutes. These numbers underscore a national crisis, but in South Carolina, the challenge is even more severe.

Multiple studies have ranked our state among the worst in the nation for drunk driving deaths. Recent analyses highlight that South Carolina’s alcohol related fatality rate remains significantly above the national average. Nearly half of all fatal crashes in our state involve alcohol. Communities from the Upstate to the Lowcountry continue to see the consequences of impaired driving despite years of public education, enforcement, and outreach.

Local trends reveal a complicated picture. In Greenville County, publicly reported data from 2024 noted a reduction in DUI related collisions, marking the lowest number since before the pandemic. Yet even with that progress, five people still lost their lives in impaired driving incidents. Charleston County recorded a substantial increase in DUI arrests over the past year, indicating heightened enforcement as officers work to stop dangerous drivers before more lives are lost. These shifts remind us that progress is possible, but the risks remain constant.

For the South Carolina Fraternal Order of Police, this issue is deeply personal. Every impaired driving crash impacts the officers who respond, investigate, and notify families whose lives will never be the same. Officers sacrifice time with their own families throughout the holiday season to keep others safe on the road. They witness the aftermath of choices that could have been avoided. They carry the weight of scenes that most will never see.

Our state has felt this pain before. In December 1985, Mount Pleasant Police Officer Vaughn Edward Kee was killed by a drunk driver. His loss devastated both his department and the community he served. Eight years later, in 1993, United States Department of Defense Naval Weapons Station Charleston Police Officer Frank Wilkinson Jr. was also killed by a drunk driver. These were not statistics. They were dedicated public servants whose families, friends, and fellow officers still carry the memory of their sacrifice. Their stories remind us that impaired driving does not discriminate. It claims lives on highways, side roads, and quiet neighborhoods. It claims the lives of officers and civilians alike.

Impaired driving prevention is not a slogan. It is a responsibility shared by every South Carolinian. Choosing not to drive impaired protects your family, your neighbors, and the officers who serve our communities around the clock. The decision to drive sober is one of the simplest and most meaningful ways to prevent tragedy. Planning a ride, calling a friend, or staying where you are can save a life. The ripple effect of one safe choice extends far beyond the moment it is made.

As we move through the holiday season, SCFOP encourages every resident of our state to take this responsibility seriously. Celebrate safely. Look out for one another. If someone has been drinking, step in before they get behind the wheel. Your voice, your care, and your decisions matter.

Our officers will continue serving through the long nights and busy roads of December, working to keep our communities safe. Standing with them begins with a commitment to never drive impaired and to encourage others to do the same. Every life lost to impaired driving leaves a family forever changed. Together, we can choose a safer path for South Carolina.