Tragic Hit-and-Run Crash Kills Pedestrian in South Carolina

RICHLAND COUNTY, SC- Wltx.com writes that a hit-and-run collision took place in the early morning over the weekend in Richland County, South Carolina. The fatal accident occurred on Interstate 77 close to Forest Drive.*

Police have not yet identified the vehicle involved in the incident. The car was reportedly traveling south on Interstate 77 when it struck the victim. According to the investigating officers, the vehicle may have damage to its headlights. The South Carolina Highway Patrol is requesting that anyone with information regarding the incident, please contact the police or Crime Stoppers.

AAA States South Carolina Has a High Number of Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Accidents

South Carolina makes the list of the ten worst states in the nation for hit-and-run crashes. The number of such incidents in the state has increased dramatically in recent years. In 2016, the AAA released a report on hit-and-run crashes. The study showed that 2016 was the deadliest year in history for collisions in which one of the responsible drivers fled the scene. Most of the 2,049 people who died that year were pedestrians or cyclists. It is not clear exactly why the number of fatalities continues to increase. In part, the numbers were up because total crashes also rose in the time period examined. Another factor appears to be that pedestrian and cyclist fatalities are increasing, and people tend to flee more often in these types of incidents.

The reason more drivers flee after striking a pedestrian or cyclist than do so after being involved in a vehicle on vehicle collision is simply a matter of opportunity. Researchers point out that cars are less likely to sustain severe damage when striking a vulnerable road user than they are when they hit another car. 

However, hit-and-runs involving more than one vehicle are also on the rise, indicating there are likely additional factors at play when it comes to the increased number of these crashes. 

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.wltx.com/article/news/crime/south-carolina-highway-patrol-fatal-i77-hit-run-pedestrian/101-8c5a630a-87e4-4998-b424-731110207b5b and https://www.motorbiscuit.com/the-10-deadliest-states-in-a-record-year-for-hit-and-run-crashes/ and https://www.cars.com/articles/hit-and-run-deaths-are-way-up-how-dangerous-is-your-state-1420699813513/