Investigations Underway in Pedestrian Crash in Newberry County, North Carolina

NEWBERRY COUNTY, SC- Foxcarolina.com writes that an evening collision on SC-34 at its intersection with Rickard Driver injured a pedestrian. The early reports do not give details regarding the type of accident or the nature or extent of the injuries.*

Pedestrian accidents killed more than 6,000 people in the United States last year, and in recent years, the climbing number of pedestrian fatalities is causing alarm throughout the country. The numbers are even more disturbing because they come at a time when other types of fatal crashes are dropping. While vehicle occupants are now safer, their cars are creating ever greater risks to the vulnerable foot traffic and cyclists with whom they share the roadways. 

South Carolina is ranked sixth out of the fifty states when it comes to deadly pedestrian accidents. The State’s poor performance is prompting officials to take action.

Police officers in North Charleston say that part of the problem is that pedestrians need to use crosswalks. Many accidents happen outside of areas that are designated for foot traffic. However, the trend cannot be blamed entirely on the victims. Many intersections are dangerous and confusing, and the road design in the state does not provide pedestrians and cyclists with secure and connected ways to navigate outside of cars. 

While South Carolina is investing in improvements to its road design, education can be another part of the solution. 

Many pedestrian crashes take place in areas that are dark and where there is no crosswalk or intersection. Frequently these fatal incidents are on four-lane roads that are not intended to accommodate foot traffic at all. Making significant changes to these areas will be costly and take time. Pedestrians should be cautious about where they walk in the State.

Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Source:https://www.foxcarolina.com/investigations/pedestrian-versus-vehicle-collision-being-investigated-in-newberry-county-officials/article_350d202a-0feb-11ea-b684-d3cb9d2f1f93.html and https://www.postandcourier.com/news/hundreds-of-sc-pedestrians-and-bicyclists-are-dying-here-s/article_882982e6-6611-11e9-b638-bb86571a640e.html