How to stay safe on the Upstate highways during Hurricane Helene

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – With crashes occurring alongside I-85 all day Thursday, travel has been a little slow going.

Heavy rains and winds are underway and South Carolina Highway Patrol urged Upstate drivers to stay off the roads.

“It’s been tough,” said traveler Barbara Caldwell. “There’s been hydroplaning. If you’re going too fast, especially if you’re going through the smokies like we just were.”

SCHP said that during inclement weather, it’s important to leave extra space between you and the car ahead, turn on your headlights no matter the time of day and avoid hard breaking.

Master Trooper Mitchell Ridgeway had one tip he said is most important: slow down.

“You’re not the only vehicle on the roadways. Just by slowing down you’re going to avoid a lot of a lot of situations,” Ridgeway remarked. “It’s going to give you the ability to react to things a lot quicker because you’re not going quite as fast and it’s going to give you the ability to just maintain better control of your vehicle.”

By slowing down, Ridgeway explained, you can help prevent hydroplaning.

You might have already started to see more South Carolina Department of Transportation ‘s (SCDOT) SHEP trucks on the highway.

But what do these trucks do?

“What they do is they keep traffic moving, they clear debris out of the roadway and they can assist with disabled vehicles,” said Hannah Robinson with SCDOT. “If you ever see them on the side of the road, move over because they’re usually helping assist someone else that’s also stuck on the roadway. They keep traffic flowing in those major areas of the interstate.”

SCDOT and SC Highway Patrol said they have increased numbers on the road during this time.

“Turn around, don’t drown,” Master Trooper Ridgeway said.

In a non-emergency situation? Call *47 (*HP). If you find yourself in an emergency, call 911.

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