CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The town of Elloree was among the communities recognized at the 2008 Traffic Safe Community of the Year awards luncheon Thursday presented by AAA Carolinas’ Foundation for Traffic Safety.

Elloree was one of four winners in the under 10,000 population category to be recognized for its leadership in traffic safety at the fifth annual awards luncheon at Seawalls in Columbia.

Dave Parsons, president and CEO of AAA Carolinas, and Mark Keel, director of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, presented the awards to local law enforcement and community representatives.

“Our winners work hard and have been successful in reducing the number of traffic crashes by both increased enforcement and innovative programs,” Parsons said. “Today we recognize their commitment to make our streets safer and applaud them for acting as traffic safe role models.”

Elloree Mayor Van Stickles said his town’s recognition for its leadership in traffic safety “is a credit to the quality of officers that we have in Elloree and to the professional manner in which they do their job. It is also a tribute to the people of Elloree, who work hard to protect the safety of their community by driving safely and encouraging others to do the same.”

Elloree Police Chief Preston Avinger said the town does not budget for revenue from traffic tickets.

“So our officers do not feel pressure to write a high amount of speeding tickets,” he said. “Instead, we are able to focus on performing proactive, non-routine traffic enforcement to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors.”

The winners in the three population categories of AAA Traffic Safe Community designation are:

* Goose Creek, Berkeley County (population greater than 30,000). For the third year in a row, the city wins top honors. Sgt. J. Shawn Crafton said the police department looks at “hot spots” for collisions and works with individuals for selective enforcement. A recent program outside the high school rewarded students with Chick-fil-A coupons for wearing seat belts.

* Newberry, Newberry County (population between 10,000 and 30,000). Newberry continues its top honor spot for the fifth year in a row. By significantly increasing its number of DUI checkpoints to 115 last year, Sgt. Chuck Rogers said the fatality rates in the city and county has decreased.

* Lynchburg, Lee County (population less than 10,000). Lynchburg takes top honors and is the smallest community in its category with just under 600 people. Chief Charles Lewis said increased speed surveillance and enforcement helps control the traffic using the town as a shortcut to the beach.

The foundation also recognized 12 other communities with outstanding awards for leadership in traffic safety including:

Greater than 30,000 population:

* Mt. Pleasant, Charleston County.

* Summerville, Dorchester County.

* Sumter, Sumter County.

* Spartanburg, Spartanburg County.

Between 10,000 and 30,000 population:

* Hanahan, Berkeley County.

* Clemson, Pickens County.

* Bennettsville, Marlboro County.

* Mauldin, Greenville County.

Less than 10,000 population:

* Varnville, Hampton County.

* Isle of Palms, Charleston County.

* Jonesville, Union County.

* Elloree, Orangeburg County.

Traffic safe communities are selected by looking at crash statistics, number of law enforcement officers per capita, presence of a formal traffic safety program and/or existence of a special traffic division. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte provided the statistical analysis, and the Carolina Motor Club Foundation chose winners in each category, giving extra emphasis to those communities that are proactive in enhancing traffic safety efforts.

AAA Carolinas’ Foundation for Traffic Safety is a nonprofit organization founded by AAA Carolinas and funded by AAA Carolinas’ member contributions that works to promote traffic safety initiatives in North and South Carolina.

You must be logged in to comment.