How many traffic deaths occur each year?

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety has a current campaign to build awareness of traffic deaths. They are personalizing the campaign by posing the following question:

How many traffic deaths are acceptable in your family?

I cannot imagine someone saying anything other than zero to the above question; therefore, the campaign is aptly named Target Zero. They demonstrated the relative ignorance of the size of the problem of fatal auto accidents in this video. They asked people across South Carolina how many deaths each year were the result of car accidents. The answers varied greatly. The actual answer is 33,000 a year nationally and 800 a year in South Carolina. I'll admit I did not know the answer either, but that is the point of the campaign and related video. There are a lot of traffic deaths, but it becomes a personal problem when you lose someone you love.

Cause of Traffic Deaths in South Carolina

The video questioned what people believed to be the leading cause or causes of fatal accidents. People quickly responded with various types of distracted driving, like texting, changing the radio, or using the GPS. One man offered eating, children, and his wife as distractions. One lady offered fighting with others in the car as a reason for accidents. That's not one we typically hear about here at Clore Law Group, but it sure does sound like an activity that could increase your likelihood of being in a car accident. Drinking and driving received credit, although not nearly as much credit as it would have just a few short years ago. Unfortunately, that is more a result of the increase in distracted driving than the decrease in drunk driving. Speeding and aggressive driving were offered just a few times. I've not read any research on the subject, but it seems as if there could be a relationship between speeding and distracted driving. It was involved in more accidents prior to the advent of cell phones. Have we slowed down to text and drive?

Charleston Traffic Death Law Suits

Legislation focuses on new ways to punish drivers who injure others with their negligent behavior. Currently a state wide ban on texting and driving is awaiting approval from the governor of South Carolina. The fine would be nominal, but it would be a moving violation which means the offender can be issued points on his/her license. There are currently laws regarding the punishment of traffic death in car accidents involving drunk driving, but these laws are part of the criminal justice system and offer little to no help to the family of the victim. The family has medical and funeral expense to pay, but that's just the beginning. Can the family make its financial obligations without the income the victim earned for the family? How will they make up for the loss to future retirement income that would have been generated from the victim's employment. There are also non-economic damages like the loss of care, consortium or love. When families contact the Clore Law Group, it's not about the money. It's about holding the negligent party accountable for their actions. It's about not letting the fatal car accident ruin them financially. It's about gaining closure, healing and attempting to move forward with their lives. If you lost someone you love, please contact us to help with the legalities of the traffic death- so you can focus on your family's grieving process.