South Carolina State Troopers Report Fewer Summer Traffic Fatalities

October 18, 2012

South Carolina State Troopers Report Fewer Summer Traffic Fatalities

Personal injuries and wrongful deaths resulting from car accidents, truck accidents and motorcycle accidents are a tragic fact of life in South Carolina. However, some good news was recently announced by the South Carolina Highway Patrol, which released traffic wreck figures for the high-travel 100 days of summer.

State troopers reported a reduction in summer traffic fatalities, a time of the year when many families hit the road for vacations and activities. Overall 2012 traffic fatalities in South Carolina are also down to 613 from 647 in mid-October of 2011.

A Highway Patrol Corporal who announced these positive figures cautioned against getting complacent given the prominent role that driver error plays in serious and fatal car accidents. Year to year, the most likely causes of highway deaths are drunk driving, speeding and driving excessively fast for given conditions.

The upcoming holiday season remains one of the most dangerous times of the year, with increased intoxication, earlier sunsets and the potential for roads to become slippery with ice and snow, especially on inland highways away from Charleston. Whatever the season, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety emphasizes the importance of using seat belts, as 235 of the 613 traffic fatalities so far this year involved motorists and passengers who were not wearing restraints.

Of course, the overall figure also includes bicyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists who do not have the safety advantages that a car, truck or van provides. The severe forces exerted in motor vehicles accidents put terrible strains on the human body, all too easily leading to broken bones, head trauma or spinal injuries. When that happens, a thorough review of the circumstances by a personal injury lawyer can help injury victims make sense of what happened and begin to explore their legal options.

When a car or truck accident leads to a wrongful death, the law allows the estate to pursue compensation for financial losses and certain survivors to seek damages for loss of society, consortium, love and comfort due to the loss of a loved one.

While reductions in accident rates are a meaningful step for society, they mean little to the parent or spouse who first hears about a fatal car wreck from a state trooper on their doorstep. A car accident attorney can provide significant relief to those who are reeling from an unexpected tragedy by coordinating the legal and financial details of a civil lawsuit against a negligent driver.

Article provided by Pierce, Herns, Sloan & McLeod, LLC
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