Head-On Collision Tragically Kills One in Abbeville County, South Carolina

ABBEVILLE, SC- Wyff4.com writes that a fatal car crash killed a man in Abbeville in the morning late last week. The crash took place in the early morning on Highway 72 when an eastbound 2004 Hyundai collided with a 2011 Toyota Camry that was driving the wrong direction in the eastbound lanes.*

The motorist operating the Hyundai was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision and died in the wreck. The person driving the Toyota also failed to wear a seatbelt and suffered severe life-threatening injuries in the crash. 

The coroner identified the victim as a 61-year-old man. 

As of 2018, police in South Carolina reported that more motorists in the state were dying in crashes because they were failing to wear their seatbelts. Despite a seatbelt law in the state, troopers said that about half of those killed in wrecks failed to use proper restraints although they had access to them. Many of the deaths could have been prevented had motorists and other occupants taken this one simple step. 

Nationally, an average of about 89.6 percent of people used their seatbelts in 2018. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that about 14,955 people survived crashes because of their seatbelts in 2017 and that another 2,549 would likely have lived if they had buckled up.

The NHTSA writes that by failing to buckle up, a person puts themselves at risk of being ejected from a vehicle in a collision. Failing to use a seatbelt also can render airbags ineffective as they deploy so as to protect a person who is restrained. Without a seatbelt, you are more likely to miss the airbag. 

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.

Sources:https://www.wyff4.com/article/baby-girl-abandoned-on-front-porch-of-home-in-cherokee-county/30431800 and https://www.wistv.com/2018/10/18/new-numbers-show-more-dying-sc-crashes-did-not-wear-seatbelts/ and https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/seat-belts