SPARTANBURG, SC (WSPA) – The so-called 100 Deadly Days of Summer – the span of time between Memorial Day and Labor Day – have begun and highway safety experts remind drivers to be alert and cautious.

With millions of South Carolinians estimated to take a road trip this summer, AAA Spokeswoman Tiffany Wright said drivers – especially teen drivers – need to be careful. Wright said the 100 Deadly Days are especially dangerous for teens.

One reason for increased danger, Wright said, is distracted driving.

“People aren’t just texting behind the wheel,” Wright said. “They’re not just making phone calls. They’re doing TikToks, they’re doing challenges behind the wheel. It’s just really dangerous.”

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety tracks accidents. Below are charts showing the number of wrecks and deaths during the last five summers on South Carolina roadways.

Year20182019202020212022
Number of crashes
(Memorial Day to Labor Day)		36,73636,65234,86039,66136,500
Data from the South Carolina Dept. of Public Safety
Year20182019202020212022
Number of deaths on roads
(Memorial Day to Labor Day)		292266361344297
Data from the South Carolina Dept. of Public Safety

To see SCDPS’ interactive map with years of crash data, click here.