Fatal Pedestrian Crash in Spartanburg County, South Carolina
SPARTANBURG, S.C — A person who was struck by a car while trying to cross Dogwood Club Road in Spartanburg County has died. The deadly incident occurred on a Thursday night around 11:40 p.m. The initial reports from the South Carolina Highway Patrol troopers investigating the crash say that the person was trying to cross Dogwood Club Road, which is also known as S.C. 295, died at the hospital after being hit by a 2011 Honda Accord that was driving mother on Dogwood Club Road. There are no criminal charges lodged against the operator of the Accord at this time; however, the investigation remains open according to Fox Carolina News.*
The statistics regarding pedestrian and bicycle rider fatalities in South Carolina are grim. The Post and Courierreport that over 900 pedestrians and bike riders have died in the last six years in the state. Those statistics rank South Carolina as one of the deadliest states in the country for pedestrians and bike riders. In fact, South Carolina’s pedestrian death rate is the sixth highest in the nation per every 100,000 residents.
South Carolina is not alone. The number of pedestrian deaths across the country continues to rise. In 2018, 6,227 pedestrians died on U.S. streets, making the death toll the highest since 1980.
Law enforcement officers who investigate pedestrians accidents say some deaths were preventable. Authorities remind pedestrians to cross at crosswalks and walk in well-lit areas if they have to walk at night. Most other accidents are the fault of the pedestrians. South Carolina’s infrastructure is in need of critical updating. Stakeholders are aware that roads need to be improved, bike paths need to be installed, streets must become safer places to walk with better lighting and sidewalks that are in good condition. Additionally, authorities say that educating the public will help reduce pedestrian and bicycle fatalities.
Improving infrastructure should limit the number of points in which pedestrians and bicycles intersect with motor vehicles. Additionally, drivers must pay attention to the road and anticipate the presence of bicycle riders and pedestrians.
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/news/troopers-pedestrian-killed-while-crossing-dogwood-club-road-in-spartanburg/article_13869f6a-e11c-11e9-bef3-6797b3209ddc.html