Trailing only Mississippi and Alabama by a narrow margin, South Carolina sees 20.5 car crash deaths per 100,000 people, according to government crash data. A growing number of auto accidents occur due to distracted driving, a trend that continues to rise as new technology is introduced.
As we research, watch, then ponder our own driving habits, we can not help but wonder when tragedy will strike. To avert an unwarranted crash, and the potential death it brings, keeps these quick tips in mind when jumping behind your 3,000-pound battering ram.
Every second spent fiddling with your smartphone, looking for snacks in your passenger seat, or tending to your upset child equals a lifetime in road years. Buying hands-free headsets or linking your smartphone through your newer car are feasible alternatives to texting, tapping, or clicking to eventual death.
Consider this: Not only does distracted driving pose a risk to other drivers, but it takes away your ability to avoid deadly auto accidents in South Carolina. Those few seconds you spent changing CDs could cost numerous lives including your own.
Statistics show deadly car accidents in South Carolina are growing dramatically, with 668 lives lost in 2018 versus 667 in 2017 – and there are still over four months left in the year. A good portion of deaths stems from intoxicated driving, an epidemic that has plagued America for decades.
Do your part to prevent tragic accidents by reporting erratic driving to local authorities by dialing 911. You do not need to convey your personal information; just let them know you are on Highway ‘x’ heading (north, south, etc.) and are tailing a driver who is endangering lives. State, county, or local police will heed your call – quickly.
Whatever you do, never attempt ‘pit maneuvers’ or some other tactic to pull the erratic driver over. If you must, get ahead of them and gradually reduce speeds to keep them from accelerating. Should they increase speed to pass you, increase your speed only to keep them in your lane?
After every auto accident in South Carolina, several really bad things happen. First, that incident will get fed into a database accessible by insurers around the country, who then increase rates each year to cover losses incurred the previous year. Then, an individual will either be charged with a crime, lose his or her life, or both. Finally, an innocent person will not go home to his or her spouse, parent, or child.
To keep fatal auto accidents from happening in your town, petition for change. Stand on the front lines with those who have lost loved ones. Get new laws passed that take drunk and distracted driving more seriously. Hire an aggressive attorney if need be.
After all is said and done, and you have done your part to avoid deadly auto accidents, drive with care. Because the only person you can protect is yourself, which requires your undivided attention when behind the wheel.
If you are in need of expert representation after an auto accident, Morris Law is one of South Carolina’s most respected legal professionals because of our dedication to accident victims and their families. Call Morris Law today at (864) 679-9999.
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