On the heels of a federal study showing South Carolina has the highest rate of speed-related traffic deaths, state police are teaming up to catch speeders.

According to the study, South Carolina had 9,515 speed-related traffic deaths from 1983 through 2002, just less than 50 percent of all traffic deaths. North Carolina’s rate was 39 percent, and Georgia’s was 27 percent.

Terecia Wilson, director of safety at the state Transportation Department, said that beginning in January next year, the state Highway Patrol will dedicate a group of 24 officers to catch speeding motorists.

The officers will be divided into four teams of six and will police four regions throughout the state, targeting the most problematic roads in their areas.

An initiative to identify dangerous roads began this year.

Since secondary roads are where the most speed-related accidents occur, the department started Crash Reduction by Improving Safety on Secondary Roads, or CRISOS.

“We pinpointed the 100 worst secondary roads in the state,” Wilson said.

Once the roads were identified, site visits were conducted by the Transportation Department, along with traffic, maintenance, and construction engineers, the coroner, Highway Patrol and sheriffs, to determine how to make the roads safer.

Wilson said the DOT’s budget determines the changes they can make. “We’re trying to make some low-cost safety improvements on these roads.”

The changes will include:

• Changing road signs to more reflective sheeting

• Adding guardrails to some roads

• Making stop signs larger

• Testing raised edge markings on some roads to see if it makes motorists more aware when going off the road

• Raising pavement markers at intersections every 40 feet instead of the normal 80 feet

• Reducing speed limits on some roads

• Adding paved shoulders to the sides of roads.

“These are all ways of getting motorists’ attentions,” Wilson said. “All of these efforts are an attempt to make the secondary roads more forgiving.”

Another phase of programs to prevent speed-related deaths will involve law enforcement officers and driver education.

The Transportation Department is producing a video and accompanying presentation materials on driver safety, which will be distributed at schools and other public education facilities.

“Drivers really need to recognize how important it is to obey the speed limits,” Wilson said. “There’s a lot behind the establishment of the posted speed limits.”

The S.C. Highway Patrol also is working with individual communities to increase road safety awareness.

Sid Gaulden, patrol spokesman, said state troopers will hold community forums throughout the state; the meetings will include a driver safety presentation and a question-and-answer session with community members.

“What we’re doing is focusing on those counties and communities where there’s been an increase in fatalities,” he said.

What’s important, said Gaulden, is that increased patrols, road safety improvements and education efforts cut down on the amount of traffic-related deaths.

“We’re working with law enforcement in an effort to save lives.”

Reach Lopez at (803) 771-8597 or jrlopez@thestate.com.