Understanding car crash data and the likelihood of being involved in an accident can help you take precautions to stay safer on the road and behind the wheel. Most car crashes are preventable, even those involving serious injuries or death. When drivers and pedestrians are aware of the dangers, they can make smarter choices to stay alert and protect themselves as well as others.
Are Car Accidents Common in South Carolina?
South Carolina has some of the most dangerous roads in the US, ranking in the top three for state car accident statistics alongside Montana and New Mexico. The South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) reports that there was one traffic collision every 3.7 minutes in South Carolina in 2022.
Why Are Car Accidents So Common?
South Carolina has 21 fatal crashes per every 100,000 residents as of 2023, making it the second highest state for fatal motor vehicle accidents. Unfortunately, these devastating accidents are usually the result of driver action. Only 18% of accidents are caused by factors other than driver action in South Carolina, such as poor weather, bad road surfaces, animals, or vehicle defects. Of all 2023 motor vehicle fatalities in South Carolina, 41% are from speeding and 71% are from impaired or distracted driving.
Even non-fatal accidents are usually the result of driver confusion, aggression, or inattention. Some common causes of South Carolina car accidents include failure to yield right of way (26%), following too closely (10%), sudden or improper lane changes ( 10%), and disregarding signals (6%).
South Carolina has seen the tenth highest growth rate for residents across the nation since 2016. South Carolina has approximately 3.7 licensed drivers, including many teenagers. With this bump in South Carolina drivers has come an increase in car accidents. More cars on the road often translates into less safe roadway conditions, especially as teenage drivers make up a disproportionally high percentage of accident rates in the state. One teenage driver in South Carolina is involved in an accident leading to injury or death every 1.5 hours.
Where Do Most Car Accidents Happen in South Carolina?
The top 5 most dangerous places in South Carolina for car crashes are:
- Myrtle Beach, SC
- North Charleston, SC
- Greenville, SC
- Columbia, SC
- Charleston, SC
A large number of car wrecks happen in intersections, because of the potential for miscommunication. For instance, in Spartanburg, SC, there have been over 50,000 car crashes in the county over a five year period, leading to a public survey about the most common dangers in the area. Approximately 41% of Spartanburg drivers responded by saying that red light enforcement would help them feel safer, as well restoring as faded markings and signage on roadways in order to better predict traffic patterns.
Some of the most dangerous driving areas include:
- Highways and freeways, because of the risks of merging as well as higher rates of speed
- Rural roads, because of narrow lanes, sharp curves, and restricted visibility
- Parking lots, because of distracted drivers and a higher likelihood of crowding
- Busy intersections, because of risk of confusion over signaling, changing lanes, running red lights, and turning.
The most Spartanburg car accidents occur at the following roads (in no order):
- North Pine Street at East Main Street
- Boiling Springs Road
- I-26 Interchanges
- Drayton Road at E Main Street
- Asheville Highway
Out of all the streets in Spartanburg, SC, just eight of them accounted for nearly half of total reported fatal and severe crashes during the five year study period.
Do Most Car Accidents Happen Close to Home?
Studies show that around 88% of car accidents happen less than 10 miles from home. However, the extent of injuries often depend upon a person’s age, environment, as well as whether or not they were walking, cycling, or driving. Additionally, most crashes that occur close to home happen overwhelmingly in urban locations (96%), as opposed to rural ones.
Where Do Most Fatal Crashes Happen?
As of 2023, Spartanburg is the number one county for fatal traffic crashes in South Carolina. Statistics show that 1,093 people were killed in vehicle collisions in South Carolina in 2022, down slightly from 1,195 in 2021. There were also 146 motorcycle fatalities in South Carolina in the same year. Spartanburg had 74 of total fatalities throughout the state, followed by Greenville with 68 fatalities.
What Type of Car Accident Causes the Most Fatalities?
According to the National Safety Council, fatal car accidents are most commonly the result of single vehicle crashes, such as where a car collides with a static object like a tree, lamppost, or signpost or a pedestrian. Multi-vehicle accidents, while more common overall and associated with the highest rate of injury, account for less deaths proportionally than single-vehicle crashes do. Additionally, angle collisions cause the greatest number of deaths overall, when compared to head-on collisions, sideswipes, and rear end accidents.
When Do Most Car Accidents Happen?
Driving at the end of the day is consistently more dangerous than driving during the morning and afternoon. Just over 40% of crashes take place from 4 pm to 12 am. The safest time of day during all months is 8 am to 11:59 am, when less cars are on the road and drivers tend to be more fully awake.
What Speed Do Most Car Accidents Happen At?
Perhaps surprisingly, most car accidents happen at speeds of under 40 mph. However, higher rates of speed are closely correlated to more severe injury cases as well as more fatalities. For this reason, even though driving slower can still result in accidents, the consequences tend to be less severe. According to South Carolina car accident reports at least 40% of fatal car accidents are due to speeding.
What Time Of Year Do Most Car Accidents Happen?
During the summer months, the average amount of drivers on the road as well as vehicle miles traveled tends to increase. This leads to July, August, and October being the most dangerous months for car accidents on South Carolina highways. Conversely, January and February see the least travel and traffic, as well as lower accident rates.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident?
After a car accident, the most important step is to guarantee your safety. Call 911 for any person who cannot move themselves. If you can do so, move your vehicle out of the flow of traffic to better help emergency vehicles access an accident victim. Stay back on the shoulder of the roadway and out of the path of moving vehicles if you must leave your car.
After you have called for help, take steps to gather as much as evidence as you can about what happened and how it occurred. Take photographs of the area, including signs, road conditions, and the weather. Speak to eyewitnesses about what occurred, especially pedestrians or nearby local businesses that may be able to provide you with video footage. Ask for contact information like names, phone numbers, and email addresses for everyone involved or who may be able to give insight into the crash. Exchange insurance information with any other drivers involved in the crash, as well as contact information.
Call the police and file an accident report. While in South Carolina you are only required by law to file an accident report if there has been a death or an injury, it is still recommended by most car accident attorneys to contact the authorities. Doing so creates a clear record of what occurred and can eliminate back and forth or fading memories later on. Calling the police can also strengthen your claim for compensation if you have a report on file about how the South Carolina car crash took place and who was at fault. It can help create a paper trail for your expenses as well as foil false claims from the other party. If you are faced with another driver who attempts to hold you liable for their injuries, having a car accident lawyer review your police report as well as help you build up your own case can help protect you from being ordered to pay additional damages.
How Can a South Carolina Car Accident Lawyer Help After a Crash?
A South Carolina car crash lawyer can help get you compensation for your car crash injuries. Car crash attorneys are trained at navigating complex cases involving multi-party liability, comparative negligence, commercial and personal auto insurance, negotiating with insurers, and more. South Carolina car accident laws allow parties the chance to recover damages even if they were partially at fault for the South Carolina car crash. Working with a good car wreck law firm can help you gather evidence, build your claim, and minimize your own liability in order to maximize your possible compensation.
How to Prevent Car Accidents
Even fatal car crashes can be preventable. Stay alert at the wheel, and always take breaks to rest when on long drives. Obey all traffic laws, including speed limits and no passing zones. Stop completely at intersections and check before turning right on red in South Carolina. Never turn right on red if the intersection has prohibited doing so.
The Path Ahead: South Carolina’s Vision Zero Initiative
South Carolina’s Vision Zero plan is poised to make a difference to dangerous roads and intersections throughout the state. By implementing a data driven approach, Vision Zero aims to reduce traffic deaths and severe injuries from motor vehicle crashes. Some pillars of the plan are to lower speed limits on dangerous stretches, clearly relabel confusing intersections, fix potholes, and consider redesigning certain roads to increase visibility for oncoming traffic. Law enforcement is also expected to be strategically deployed to address speeding and distracted driving.
Finally, another key tenant of South Carolina’s Vision Zero is to educate drivers about how and why crashes occur. Collecting and absorbing data about roadway risks can help make South Carolina a safer and better place to drive and live.
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