Why are car accidents so common in South Carolina?

In 2015 nearly 1,000 people died in South Carolina as a result of being involved in car accidents, making the state’s traffic fatality rate approximately 20 deaths per 100,000, a figure that is close to double the national average.

According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, there is some good news in the statistics revealing the number of traffic deaths in South Carolina marginally decreased in 2016. As of December 31, 2016, 975 people were killed, four less than the 979 killed in 2015. Last year is the first time in four years that the number of deaths has decreased. The other time South Carolina saw a decrease in the numbers of death from car crashes was between 2012 and 2013 when the death toll dropped from 688 to 592. Nevertheless, the number of people who lose their lives or are badly injured on the highways of South Carolina is staggering.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) the reason the fatalities are so high in South Carolina relates to common, but potentially deadly driving habits such as:

Speeding — 361 were killed due to speed-related collisions;

Texting while driving/distracted driving — nationally, there were more than 3,100 people killed and 431,000 injured in 2014. It is illegal under South Carolina law, however enforcement is not consistent across all jurisdictions;

Drunk driving — in 2015, there were 977 fatal car wrecks in the state and 301 of those collisions involved a DUI driver;

Tailgating;

Falling asleep at the wheel;

Failing to yield the right-of-way — roughly 15 percent of traffic deaths last year were pedestrians and bicyclists.;

Ignoring traffic signs and signals;

Driving too fast for existing road conditions;

Improper turns;

Improper lane changes; and

Not wearing seat belts.

Losing a loved one as a result of a motor vehicle crash is horrific. If someone else’s negligence caused the fatal accident, you may be entitled to seek compensation from the courts.

Updated on December 29, 2018