auto accident

Roads expected to be especially crowded this Memorial Day weekend

Published on: May 23, 2014 | by Patrick E. Knie

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend, which means that many people here in South Carolina, after finishing up their work day, will be taking to the roads for some holiday traveling. They may find the roads to be particularly crowded this year, according to estimates from AAA-Carolinas.

The motor club estimates that, this weekend, around 452,000 motorists from South Carolina will be taking automobile trips in excess of 50 miles. If this estimate and the motor club’s estimate for North Carolina motorists (around 980,000 taking trips in excess of 50 miles) hold true, the Carolinas are set to have the heaviest Memorial Day weekend traffic they’ve seen in nine years.

Greenville distracted driving ordinance goes into effect April 1

Published on: March 31, 2014 | by Patrick E. Knie

In terms of statewide laws, only three states have not yet placed restrictions on cell phone use while driving. South Carolina is one of those states. However, on April 1, a distracted driving ordinance will go into effect in the city of Greenville. In particular, the ordinance bans the use of handheld mobile phones while driving.

Initially, city officials considered a narrower ban on texting while driving, but statistics from other cities and states ultimately convinced the City Council to vote unanimously in favor of extending the ban to include all handheld devices. A ban on texting alone would have also posed enforcement difficulties for police.

Gaffney woman killed in hit and run near assisted living facility

Published on: March 10, 2014 | by Patrick E. Knie

Residents of assisted living facilities are generally allowed to come and go as they please. They may be asked to sign in and out so that staff members are aware of the residents’ whereabouts, but assisted living facilities typically offer residents more mobility than would a nursing home. However, depending on the circumstances of a particular case, negligence on the part of facility staff could still factor into why a resident suffered injuries.

In the wake of a fatal hit-and-run accident, the family members of a Gaffney woman are looking for answers as to why their loved one was taken from them. The 46-year-old woman was reportedly hit by a pickup truck as she walked on the road near the assisted living facility where she resided.

Icy roads to blame for 817 car crashes reported to SCHP

Published on: January 30, 2014 | by Patrick E. Knie

While some transplants from northern states may not have had difficulty travelling in the rare snow storm that struck much of South Carolina this week, most drivers were caught off guard by just how dangerous the roadways would be. A lot of drivers quickly discovered that their driving habits on dry pavement were not as effective on icy roadways, which resulted in a tremendous number of incidences across the state, including some here in Spartanburg.

So far, hundreds of accidents have been reported to emergency crews throughout the state. And with roads expected to still be icy throughout the rest of today and perhaps even into tomorrow, it’s hard to tell just how many more auto accidents we could see. At this time, the South Carolina Highway Patrol has responded to more than 1,400 weather-related calls, 817 of which were motor vehicle collisions due to slippery roads. If that number seems alarming, compare it to last year where only 89 accidents were reported over the same period of time.