Terecia Wilson with the Transportation Department says the Highway Patrol plans to dedicate 24 officers to catching speeding motorists in areas where there are speeding accidents. The officers will be divided into teams of six officers each.

A federal study released showed South Carolina has a higher rate of speed-related deaths than any other state in the nation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the US Transportation Department released the report last week, it says at least one person was speeding in nearly half of the fatal accidents in South Carolina from 1983 to 2002.

The report says 47% of South Carolina traffic deaths in 2002 were speeding-related. Kansas, Rhode Island and Connecticut ranked higher in 2002, but were below South Carolina for the period analyzed.

Public Safety Department spokesman Sid Gaulden says troopers are working with local law enforcement and speaking at forums in towns and cities about road safety.

The Highway Patrol will hire 100 new troopers come January. A fourth of them will be dedicated to patrolling high speed areas in the state. Highway Patrol commander Col. Russell Roark says the strength in numbers will make a noticeable difference.

Roark says the majority of speed related deaths don't happen on highways, but on local roads near neighborhoods.

Posted 9:26am by Bryce Mursch with AP