South Carolina Ranks #2 Worst Drivers in United States as a Result of Drunk Driving Statistics

Car crashes are a leading cause of death in the US and were expected to cause around 40,000 deaths by the end of 2018.

To put it plainly, America’s roads are dangerous. Texting behind the wheel is a major reason for many traffic fatalities, and it’s only getting worse. In 2016, 3,450 people were killed by distracted driving. Plus, cheap gas and a strong economy means America’s 222 million licensed drivers are driving more than ever. More people on the road leads to more accidents and citations.

South Carolina was ranked No. 2 on QuoteWizard’s list for “Best and Worst Drivers” across the United States. Last year, the State of South Carolina came in at No. 4, but an increase in DUIs brought it up in the rankings. Nearly half of all fatal crashes in South Carolina are because of drunk driving, according to the study. Drivers can blame an increase in DUIs for the jump from last year’s rank as the fourth worst drivers to the second worst drivers this year.

However, South Carolina didn’t nab the top spot when it comes to bad drivers — that was Maine; with Nebraska, California and North Dakota rounding out the Top 5.

Rankings for this study by QuoteWizard was determined by accidents, speeding tickets, DUIs, citations and fatalities in each state throughout the year.

The Goings Law Firm is committed to fighting drunk drivers in Court for the harm their cause to innocent people on the roads.  We have been awarded large verdicts and settlements for our clients against drunk drivers, and if you or a loved one has been injured or killed by a drunk driver, you may be entitled to financial compensation.  Call us today at (803) 350-9230 for a Free Consultation to see if we can help you.

South Carolina ranks as the 2nd worst in DUI related fatalities in the nation based on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) National Center for Statistics and Analysis. Drunk drivers kill innocent people, or result in serious injuries that have devastating effects on families.

It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle in South Carolina with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher. In fact, all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have by law set a threshold making it illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 g/dL or higher.

In 2017 there were 10,874 people killed in alcohol-impaired- driving crashes, an average of 1 alcohol-impaired-driving fatality every 48 minutes. These alcohol- impaired-driving fatalities accounted for 29 percent of all motor vehicle traffic fatalities in the United States in 2017. Of the 10,874 people who died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in 2017, there were 6,618 drivers (61%) who had BACs of .08 g/dL or higher. The remaining fatalities consisted of 3,075 motor vehicle occupants (28%) and 1,181 nonoccupants (11%). 

Based on national data related to alcohol impaired driving in 2017, the NHTSA has set forth the following “key findings:

-Key Findings-

• In 2017 there were 10,874 fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes involving drivers with BACs of .08 g/dL or higher. This totaled 29 percent of all traffic fatalities for the year. (Note: It is illegal in every State to drive with a BAC of .08 g/dL or higher.)
• An average of 1 alcohol-impaired-driving fatality occurred every 48 minutes in 2017.
• The estimated economic cost of all alcohol-impaired crashes (involving alcohol-impaired drivers or alcohol- impaired nonoccupants) in the United States in 2010 (the most recent year for which cost data is available) was $44 billion.
• Of the traffic fatalities in 2017 among chil- dren 14 and younger, 19 percent occurred in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes.
• The 21- to 24-year-old age group had the highest percentage (27%) of drivers with BACs of .08 g/dL or higher in fatal crashes compared to other age groups in 2017.
• The percentage of drivers with BACs
  of .08 g/dL or higher in fatal crashes in 2017 was highest for fatalities involving motorcycle riders (27%), comparedto passenger cars (21%), light trucks (20%), and large trucks (3%).
• The rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2017 was 3.6 times higher at night than during the day.
• In 2017 among the 10,874 alcohol- impaired-driving fatalities, 68 percent (7,368) were in crashes in which at least one driver had a BAC of .15 g/dL or higher.

There is some good new too — Fatalities in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes decreased by 1.1 percent (10,996 to 10,874 fatalities) from 2016 to 2017. Alcohol- impaired-driving fatalities in the past 10 years have declined by 7 percent from 11,711 in 2008 to 10,874 in 2017. The national rate of alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities in motor vehicle crashes in 2017 was 0.34 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT), down from 0.35 in 2016. The alcohol-impaired-driving fatality rate in the past 10 years has declined by 13 percent, from 0.39 in 2008 to 0.34 in 2017.

At the Goings Law Firm, we believe that one DUI related fatality is one too many. Drinking and driving have consequences, and it’s our mission to make sure at the drunk driver pays for the injuries and harm they inflict on the innocent. If you or a loved one has been a victim of a drunk driver related motor vehicle crash, call us today for a free, no obligation, consultation– the number is 803-350-9230.

Source: National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2018, November). Alcohol- impaired driving: 2017 data (Traffic Safety Facts. Report No. DOT HS 812 630). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812630

New Year’s Eve rings in more than the dawn of a new year—it’s also one of the deadliest nights on our nation’s roads. It’s easy to get caught up in the festivities, but one too many toasts before getting behind the wheel can turn revelry into tragedy.

South Carolina ranks second highest for DUI deaths amid New Year’s Eve based on a Study from Safewise.com. South Carolina’s statistics show that 6.22 per 100,000 people due to Impaired Driving. This is the second highest in the nation, only behind Wyoming. Last year , nearly 22,000 people were arrested for DUI and more than 300 died in incidents involving drunk driving. In 2017, drunk driving accounted for 29% of all traffic fatalities nationwide, and nearly sixty percent (60%) of alcohol-involved fatal crashes involved drivers that registered very high blood alcohol content.

Drunk and impaired driving is a deadly problem in our state, and innocent lives are effected everyday. The Goings Law Firm fights drunk drivers in court. If you or a family member has been injured due to a drunk driver, call us today at 803-350-9230. We will get you the justice that you deserve, and we make DRUNK DRIVERS PAY!

What happens if I can’t return to work?

A common question we get is “What happens if I cannot return to work due to my work injury.”  The fear of not being able to return to work is a real concern if you have been involved in a work related injury.  Often we counsel with people who have given their best years to an employer only to end up with a debilitating injury caused by their work.  Like any hard working individual, they are concerned with their ability to recover and get back to work as quickly as possible.  Unfortunately, many individuals suffer injuries so bad that they are no longer able to meet the work requirements of their job.  Sometimes these injured workers are ill informed that their injury is limited to a recovery solely based on the injured body part.  The insurance company, or its attorney, will try to hurriedly rush an injured worker into a settlement that neither represents the fully injured body part or takes into account their inability to return back to work.  Many injured workers will reluctantly accept a quick settlement only to find out they don’t have a job to be able to return to and can’t support their family.

Fortunately, the South Carolina Workers Compensation Laws provide a mechanism where injured workers can receive an award to address their inability to return to their job instead of just the injured body part.  To be eligible for wage loss the worker must be able to demonstrate they meet the necessary elements of a wage loss claim.  If left to handle these complicated issues by themselves, injured workers may end up without the benefit of the law, or worse miss the requirements to be eligible for wage loss recovery.  At the Goings Law Firm we routinely assist injured workers to determine if they may be eligible for a wage loss recovery.   To determine if you need help with a workers’ compensation injury contact Attorney and Workers’ Compensation Managing Partner Christian E. Boesl with the Goings Law Firm.  Let us help you get the medical treatment you deserve to back to work, or get the money you are entitled to receive if you are unable to return to your job.

Many of Our Clients Are Injured in the Worst Intersections in Columbia and Richland County by Reckless Drivers

The Most Dangerous Intersection in the entire State of South Carolina is located in Columbia.  A study performed by The State Newspaper in Columbia determined that the most intersection collisions in the entire state of South Carolina occurred in Columbia a I-20 and U.S. 176 (Columbia), with a total of 669 collision from 2011-2015.

In this study, the State Newspaper also analyzed the most dangerous intersections based on reports of collisions that occurred in Columbia and Richland County during 2016.  The data was obtained from incident investigated by the Columbia Police Department and S.C. Highway Patrol.

The State compiled the following list of intersections in Columbia and Richland County with the highest number of crashes:

INSIDE COLUMBIA CITY LIMITS

1. Assembly Street and Elmwood Avenue: 50 collisions, 10 with injuries

2. Taylor Street and Huger Street: 49 collisions, nine with injuries

3. Devine Street/Garners Ferry Road and Rosewood Drive: 45 collisions, 10 with injuries

4. Main Street and Elmwood Avenue: 38 collisions, four with injuries, one fatal

5. Gervais Street and Huger Street: 37 collisions, nine with injuries

JUST OUTSIDE COLUMBIA IN RICHLAND COUNTY

1. I-20 and Broad River Road: 142 collisions, 26 with injuries

2. I-20 and I-26: 84 collisions, 15 with injuries

3. I-26 and Broad River Road: 78 collisions, nine with injuries

4. Killian Road and I-77: 75 collisions, 10 with injuries

5. Two Notch Road and Sparkleberry Lane: 64 collisions, eight with injuries

The Highways in South Carolina are Among the Most Dangerous in the Nation

Wall Street 24/7 has released its latest study of United States Roadways, ranking the safest and most unsafe by state.   In ranking the safest and most dangerous states to drive in the United States, data of roadway fatalities from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Federal Highway Administration was reviewed.  The state with the safest roads was Rhode Island.  The state with the most unsafe road was Mississippi.  Surprisingly, 9 of the 10 safest states were in the Northeast.  Six of the top ten worst regionally fall in the Southeast with South Carolina coming in this year’s survey as the 3rd worst state for roadway safety.  As the number 3 dangerous state, South Carolina has the following statistics:

South Carolina  (#3 most dangerous roads in America)

Road deaths per 100,000: 20.5

2016 roadway fatalities: 1,015 (13th most)

Seat belt use: 94%

Deadliest holiday in 2016: Martin Luther King’s Birthday (16 fatal crashes)

Fatal crashes on rural roads: 60%

If you or a loved one have been injured or suffered death as as result of a collision in South Carolina, you need to hire an honest, aggressive, and experienced attorney that can help you get the compensation that you deserve.  You need a Real Lawyer, with Real Results.  Contact the Goings Law Firm today at 803-350-9230 to see how we can help you.

We find that car collision are often caused by drivers who are breaking the speed limit or driving too fast for conditions.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of car accidents in Columbia, South Carolina, and a new study may explain why–  Columbia drivers are heavy-footed Speeders!

A new study ranks drivers in Columbia, South Carolina as among the fastest drivers in the United States.  Columbia ranked 6th in the top 25, with drivers who break the speed limit.  Charleston ranked 9th and Greenville, SC ranked 11th in the study.  The study was published by QuoteWizard, an online insurance comparison website.  QuoteWizard analyzed self-reported data from users on driving infractions, which includes speeding tickets. These rankings are based on over one million data points on speeding infractions from 2017. Cities ranked ‘speediest’ have the highest rate of speeding tickets per driver.  A more detailed look at the study can be found here:  more detailed looks at the fastest specific markets is available here: https://quotewizard.com/news/posts/fastest-driving-cities-2018

From faster to slower, these are the top 25 fastest driving cities in the US:

The National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Prove that Hiring a Workers Compensation Attorney Is Important

Fatalities and serious workplace injuries are on a rise in the United States.  Year after year, workplace deaths are increasing South Carolina.  If a loved one has died at work, or you have suffered a serious on the job injury, it is important to hire an experienced workers’ compensation attorney so that you are fully protected under the laws of South Carolina.  Without an attorney, the insurance company can take advantage of you and quickly deny benefits that the law affords you for medical treatment, pay while not at work, and disability payments for permanent injuries or death.  The insurance company has a team of lawyers, so should you!

Based on the current National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries published by the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, there were a total of 5,190 fatal work injuries recorded in the United States in 2016, a 7-percent increase from the 4,836 fatal injuries reported in 2015, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See chart 1.) This is the third consecutive increase in annual workplace fatalities and the first time more than 5,000 fatalities have been recorded by the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) since 2008. The fatal injury rate increased to 3.6 per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers from 3.4 in 2015, the highest rate since 2010.  https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cfoi.pdf

Work injuries involving transportation incidents remained the most common fatal event in 2016, accounting for 40 percent (2,083). Violence and other injuries by persons or animals increased 23 percent to become the second-most common fatal event in 2016. Two other events with large changes were exposure to harmful substances or environments, which rose 22 percent, and fires and explosions, which declined 27 percent.