It appears as if the recession does, in fact, have at least one upside for South Carolina residents with a heavy right foot.

According to a report in the April 10 edition of The Post and Courier, as more officers are leaving the South Carolina State Trooper Department and a hiring freeze remains in place, more drivers are getting let off the hook for speeding tickets.

According to the article, nearly 1 in three officers have left the force since 2008 during which time a hiring freeze has also been in effect. What follows is that the tickets issued by officers who left the force being "thrown out," while less tickets are being issued in the first place because of the fewer officers left on the road. Another factor which is believed to be affecting the findings is the office's increased prioritization of issuing DUI tickets, rather than focusing solely on speeding reprimands.

Here is the article, it focuses a little more on Dorchester county, but its not hard to imgine that these effects are being seen state wide.

Hat tip to TheDigitel Beaufort for sharing this story