Labor Day weekend tends to be a busy time of the year for authorities enforcing drunk driving laws in South Carolina. People mark the end of summer with travel and social gatherings at which they may consume alcohol. Hands Across the Border events have taken place in the Southeast since 1991, allowing law enforcement from two adjoining states to cooperate with one another to make the roads safer by removing impaired drivers. North and South Carolina have held similar events at their shared border for approximately 20 years.
This year, law enforcement agencies from North and South Carolina set up public safety checkpoints on both sides of the state line on Friday night in the Little River area. Authorities on the South Carolina side issued 25 tickets. Three of them involved alcohol or drugs, while the others included violations for window tint, equipment, no proof of insurance and for license and/or registration. North Carolina authorities reported “a few” DWI arrests, but no further specifics are available.
Reportedly, most of the stops just involved checking driver’s licenses and registration. However, North Carolina’s authorities made some use of their Breath Alcohol Testing Mobile Unit, complete with a magistrate’s office and fingerprinting equipment. Drug-sniffing dogs were also available on the scene. Despite all this preparation, no extreme incidents occurred throughout the event’s duration.
The first Hands Across the Border event that occurred 28 years ago started as a result of state highway patrols in Florida and Georgia making a friendly wager related to the prevention of alcohol-related deaths over the end-of-summer holiday. Those who prefer not to gamble with their future may find it helpful to contact an attorney to defend them against drunk driving charges.