South Carolina Fatal Bicycle Accidents
South Carolina occupies the fifth position in a ranking of the deadliest states for cyclists. Only Florida, Louisiana, New Mexico and Arizona come ahead of it in the ranking. The average annual deaths per one million people are three. In 2010, 14 people lost their lives in bike-related accidents. The number went up to 15 in 2011, and a slight reduction was experienced in 2012 when 13 fatalities occurred.
The Latest Fatal Bicycle Accident Statistics
The South Carolina Traffic Collision Fact Book for 2015 suggests that the number of fatal collisions involving bikes was 16. There were 359 crashes that caused injuries and 371 injured individuals.
The numbers have remained more or less unchanged through the years. In 2014, the state had 14 fatal bicycle crashes. In 2013, there were 15 deadly collisions and in 2012 – 14. Based on these numbers, state figures differ slightly from the national report presented in the introduction.
Most fatal crashes in 2015 occurred in the dark – 13. Two took place during the day, and one accident happened in the middle of the night and while it was raining. The time periods with most fatal crashes were 6 pm to 9 pm (five collisions) and 9 pm to midnight (five collisions).
The vast majority of biking deaths happened on secondary roads (seven), followed by South Carolina primary (five) and US Primary roads (four).
Fifteen fatal accidents involved male cyclists, and there was only one woman killed. In 13 fatal collisions, the bikers did not use any kind of safety gear. One person was wearing a helmet, one person used reflective clothing, and the report is unknown in one of the accidents.
It’s interesting to point out that in many other states, children and teenagers are the most vulnerable groups. In the state, five of the bicyclists killed were aged 40 to 49 and six were aged 50 to 59. One death occurred in the 10 to 19 age group, one – 20 to 29, one – 30 to 39 and two deaths occurred in the 60 to 79 age group.
As far as non-fatal injuries are concerned, 97 out of 420 affected individuals 20 to 29.
Safety Initiatives
Most states are adopting projects aimed at improving biking/pedestrian infrastructure, encouraging more people to utilize these commuting methods and reducing the number of accidents. While this state isn’t an exception, deadly bike crashes still occur on its territory.
One of the latest reports was from February 2017 when a cyclist was killed by a passing vehicle on Hilton Head Island. The woman stepped into the roadway via a crosswalk when she was struck by a minivan. According to reports, this newest fatality is a part of a spike in cyclist and bike deaths in the region.
The department of transportation has adopted a statewide Pedestrian and Bicycle Program. On top of that all-encompassing document, there are multiple local initiatives aimed at the setting up of new infrastructure and guaranteeing cyclist safety. Above all other goals, the program aims to establish an interconnected network of biking lanes throughout the state. Adoption is still not at the level currently being observed in other states, and further efforts will be required to ensure safe biking conditions.