Four Vehicle Crash Injures One in Bluffton, South Carolina (SC)

BLUFFTON, SC- Islandpacket.com writes that a crash in Bluffton involving four vehicles left one person with severe injuries. The incident occurred on US 278 in the early evening. Traffic in the area was backed up, and one lane was blocked while crews worked at the scene.*

One recent study found that South Carolina has a poor record when it comes to fatal vehicle collisions. The study was focused on looking at the impact of distracted drivers. Numbers indicate that 20.5 people in the state are killed in car crashes for every 100,000 residents. That number was higher than all but two other states. First place for traffic fatalities went to Mississippi, where 23.2 deaths were recorded per every 100,000 people, and Alabama was in second place with 21.3 deaths per 100,000 people. 

The study criticized states who were not doing enough to prevent distracted driving. States that issued more fines for distracted driving violations and those that had more costly penalties were praised for their efforts to curb this dangerous practice and keep the roads safe for everyone. 

South Carolina only issued 53 citations to distracted motorists in 2016, and the minimum fine for those few citations was just $25. In comparison, Delaware’s minimum fine was $100, and the state cited 13,061 drivers for violations of the law. 

About ten percent of traffic deaths are said to be the result of distracted driving. Motorists who want to be part of the solution can start by being a good example themselves. Safety advocates recommend putting phones down and out of reach when drivers enter their cars. If the phone is not accessible, the driver will be in a better position to avoid the temptation of looking at their screen. 

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 a 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.islandpacket.com/news/local/article243280091.html

https://www.wistv.com/story/38030136/sc-ranked-no-3-deadliest-state-for-fatal-car-crashes-study-says/