There’s not a day that goes by on Upstate roads when traffic congestion — and all too frequently, accidents — bring both delays and danger to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
This makes it all the more important for drivers to remember and obey not only basic traffic laws but the wider concepts of courtesy and consideration that make it possible to navigate the region’s streets, roads and highways safely.
But as anyone who’s taken to the streets knows, that common courtesy and focus on safety is not practiced by all.
The most dangerous activity
Climbing into several thousands pounds of metal and plastic to get to work and home and places in-between is the most dangerous activity most people engage in every day, according to Master Trooper Mitch Ridgeway, community relations officer for the S.C. Highway Patrol.
Moving vehicles are inherently dangerous, Ridgeway says, because of their size and speed adds that the greatest leading cause of accidents, injuries and deaths comes down to driver inattention.
“It’s one of the main problems on our roads right now,” he says.
That potentially deadly combination of inattentiveness and being behind the wheel of a massive vehicle — especially when those vehicles are increasingly sharing the road with more bicyclists and pedestrians — puts the onus on drivers to pay attention, according to Mary McGowan, board chair for Bike Walk Greenville.
She says even though it’s a cliché, it’s nevertheless true that with great power comes great responsibility. Pedestrians and cyclists are physically no match for a car, and the consequences for failing to share the road can be deadly.
“We’re just out here trying to survive,” McGowan says. “We all benefit when we stop prioritizing speed and convenience over safety.”
Pay attention
It doesn’t take long driving anywhere these days to spot people dividing their attention between driving and operating a cell phone or other electronic device.
It’s illegal to text and drive in South Carolina. Virtually everyone knows this, which is why Ridgeway says he tends to see much more of it when he’s driving his personal vehicle than a fully marked patrol car.
It’s common enough that his son frequently spots such drivers and calls them out to Ridgeway.
“When an 8-year-old can point it out, it’s pretty bad,” he says.
Even a momentary glance away from the road is dangerous. Ridgeway explains a driver going 55 mph travels the length of a football field in about four seconds — more than enough time for something to happen that requires immediate action from the driver.
Compounding the problem of driver distraction is the proliferation of electronic systems within cars that require the driver’s attention to operate. Many are ostensibly designed to help the driver keep his or her eyes on the road, but McGowan says they can often divert the driver’s mental focus away from driving.
“It’s not just about taking your eyes off the road; it’s about taking your mind off the road,” she says.
Ultimately, everyone’s ability to drive safely hinges on drivers obeying traffic laws and being mindful of others on the road, according to Ridgeway.
“We all have to work together as a team and just be considerate of each other,” he says.
Back to basics
Although most drivers obey traffic laws, there are a number of violations that are common enough to warrant a reminder of some driving basics:
- Impaired driving — Operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs is illegal and can carry heavy penalties upon conviction.
- Speed limits — Posted speed limits are the legal maximum speed, not a suggestion as some drivers may seem to believe. It still may be unsafe to drive at the posted speed limit in adverse weather conditions.
- Red means stop — Contrary to what seems an increasing number of motorists believe, a red light means stop, not speed up. The problem has become widespread enough that efforts are underway to reverse a state law that prohibits the use of traffic cameras to issue citations for this offense.
- Signal to turn — It’s not only the law; it’s common courtesy to indicate a turn or lane change with a vehicle’s turn indicators.
- Yield to oncoming traffic — When turning onto a road or entering a traffic circle, yield to traffic that has the right of way.
- Lights on in rain — State law requires drivers to turn on their headlights whenever it’s raining sufficiently to require the use of windshield wipers.
- Use caution when signals are out — Treat non-functioning traffic lights as four-way stops. Blinking red lights mean stop. Blinking yellow lights mean proceed with caution.
- Keep right except to pass — On interstates and four-lane primary routes, the left lane should only be used to pass. According to some studies, hanging out in the left lane actually slows traffic down and increases the likelihood of congestion.
- Share the road — Motorcycles, mopeds and bicycles have the same right to use the roads as cars and trucks and must also obey all traffic laws. The obvious difference is they have far less to protect their riders if a collision occurs.
Deadly roads
The following are S.C. traffic fatality numbers as of Oct. 26 and compiled by the state highway patrol:
- 789 fatal collisions totaling 852 deaths (971 by this point in 2021)
- 15 pedal cyclists killed
- 116 pedestrians killed
- 125 motorcyclists killed
- 30 deaths classified as “other”
- 566 fatalities where access to a seatbelt was available
- 293 passengers killed while not wearing a seatbelt
Greenville County traffic statistics
The following traffic data for Greenville County comes from the 2020 South Carolina Traffic Collision fact book compiled by the S.C. Department of Public Safety:
- There were 13,740 collisions in the county in 2020, including 72 fatal collisions.
- There were 3,150 collisions involving injuries.
- Greenville County ranks highest for the number of fatal collisions in 2020 followed by Charleston, Spartanburg, Horry and Berkeley counties.
- Greenville County saw the most collisions on average between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. with the highest number of collisions occurring along US 25 (1,043).
