According to a recent report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), poor road conditions continue to be a significant contributing factor in many car accidents nationwide and throughout South Carolina.
"Ensuring safety on our nation's roadways is a collective effort involving everyone from drivers to government entities that finance road improvements, as well as manufacturers, contractors, and innovators,” Mike Hare, chairman of the board of directors of the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), said in an interview with ABC News 4 South Carolina. “We must all commit to reducing fatalities and serious injuries on American roadways."
How do bad road conditions cause car accidents?
Poor road conditions often play a major role in causing many car crashes. Some of the ways that bad road conditions contribute to car accidents include:
- Potholes that cause damage to vehicles or cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles.
- Uneven road surfaces that cause drivers to veer into other vehicles.
- Poor road drainage that causes puddles of water and other obstacles to form in the road.
- Low road shoulders or not enough road shoulder alongside the road.
- Uneven lanes or inconsistent road lanes that cause vehicles to crash into each other.
- Poor road lighting that makes it difficult for drivers to see other vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists.
- Malfunctioning traffic signals that cause drivers to crash into other vehicles at intersections.
What is the financial toll of car accidents nationwide?
The numbers are staggering. According to ABC News 4 South Carolina, $1.9 trillion in economic losses occur yearly due to car accidents nationwide. Such financial losses include:
- Cost of medical care to treat car accident injuries.
- Lost wages due to crash victims not being able to work.
- Lost productivity at work.
- Insurance administrative costs.
- Workplace costs.
- Traffic congestion impacts, including travel delays, excess fuel consumption, and pollution.
- Emergency services fees for first responders and ambulance drivers who respond to collisions.
- Property damage caused by car accidents.
How bad are car accidents in South Carolina?
The short answer? They’re getting worse nearly every year in South Carolina. According to the most recent NHTSA accident data, in 2022, there were 1,094 car accident fatalities in South Carolina. To put those numbers in perspective, that was the highest death toll in a single year since 2013. The only year that more people died in car accidents in South Carolina was 2021, when there were 1,198 car accident fatalities.
What road improvements should be made to prevent car crashes?
The solution is clear—more road improvements need to be made to prevent car accidents nationwide. According to road safety experts, whether it’s filling in potholes, improving road drainage, or making sure that stop lights work correctly at intersections, such improvements will clearly save lives.
Many lifesaving road improvements can be made without spending a lot of money. A 2017 ATSSA report states that an estimated $146 million in transportation infrastructure improvements are needed to make our roads safer.
“We are experiencing what can only be described as a crisis on our roadways as it relates to safety, and it is imperative that transportation agencies address this crisis using all means and methods at our disposal,” Craig Thompson, president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, said in an interview with ABC News 4 South Carolina.
Call a lawyer if you've been injured in a crash
You probably think you don’t even need a lawyer if you were injured in a South Carolina car accident that wasn't your fault. Sadly, though, many straightforward accidents quickly turn into complicated legal cases. This is why it’s critical that you have an experienced attorney advising you every step of the way after your accident.
Our South Carolina car accident lawyers at Johnson + Johnson, Attorneys At Law, know exactly what to do. That’s because we’ve been doing this work for years. Our case results speak for themselves. We consistently get car accident injury victims the money they need for their accident-related expenses, including a $200,000 settlement for a car accident injury victim.
Get a South Carolina law firm that’s serious about winning your case. Contact us and schedule a free consultation with a Lexington, SC, car accident attorney you can count on in a crisis. We work on a contingency fee basis. That means you only have to pay if we get you a financial settlement or verdict.
