Traffic accidents and motorist vehicle breakdowns slowed the already heavy Thanksgiving holiday traffic late Sunday afternoon on most of South Carolina’s major Interstates.

“We’ve had something on just about every Interstate — I-20, I-26 and I-95 — for the past several hours,” said S.C. Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Brent Kelly shortly before 6 p.m.

“There’s been a lot assist motorists calls on interstates, several collisions and four collisions on I-20 in Kershaw County today,” Kelly said.

Kelly said a large number of people were on the highways Sunday returning home from the holidays and the accidents “caused a lot of collisions out there, which is causing traffic to slow down and back up.”

Fortunately, Kelly said, “There are no fatalities so far, and hopefully there won’t be any.”

Late afternoon and evening snarls were also reported on I-26 and I-20 in Lexington County due to collisions and, in one case, debris on the highway.

In Richland County, around 6 p.m., two collisions on I-26 were reported.

John Monk