SC among most dangerous states in the US to drive at night, study shows. Here’s why

Sarah Claire McDonald
·3 min read
15

Have you ever driven through the night in South Carolina before?

Depending on your location, not only can it be dangerous, but it can be quite difficult for many to do so safely.

Photographed with a long exposure, the only overhead street lights on U.S. 278 illuminate the pedestrian crosswalk at Yacht Cove Drive on May 1, 2023 on Hilton Head Island. The lights were installed in October 2020 as a pilot project for street lighting after 11-year-old islander Charli Bobinchuck died while crossing U.S. 278 with her dog, Max, in June 2018. Drew Martin/dmartin@islandpacket.com

A recent study by Zanes Law, a personal injury law firm, analyzed fatal crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from 2017 and 2021 to discover which state had the highest percentage of fatal crashes that occurred at night.

After compiling the research, it was found that South Carolina ranked as being the fifth most dangerous state to drive in at night.

After an analysis of data, it was determined that from a total of 4,897 accidents, 2,118 during the day and 2,779 at night, 56.75% of the fatal crashes occurred at night in the Palmetto State, as was detailed by the firm.

Throughout South Carolina, between coastal regions and the remainder of the state, it is not infrequent to travel on major, suburban or rural roadways at night without the presence of street lamps. In coastal regions, many ordinances prevent the use of street lights, or even an emission of in-home light illuminations depending on location, near beaches or bodies of water to deter hatching sea turtles from getting hit by cars.

Most notably, Hilton Head Island in South Carolina’s Lowcountry is well known nationwide for the town’s minimal use of street lamps.

Those who struggle to safely drive at night, are not used to a lack of street lighting, suffer from “night blindness” or other visual impairments have complained about the dangers of driving in the area at night, which is filled with wildlife, cyclists, walkers and other hazards.

As a result, nighttime traffic accidents have been reported in the area and each incident brings new discussions on pedestrian safety in the area, similar to other areas in the state.

Town of Hilton Head Island data on bicyclist fatalities dating back to 2014, with blue representing deaths that occurred after dark. Data courtesy of the Town of Hilton Head Island
Town of Hilton Head Island data on bicyclist fatalities dating back to 2014, with blue representing deaths that occurred after dark. Data courtesy of the Town of Hilton Head Island
Data from the Town of Hilton Head Island representing pedestrian fatalities on Hilton Head since 2014, with blue indicating deaths that took place after dark. Data courtesy of the Town of Hilton Head Island.
Data from the Town of Hilton Head Island representing pedestrian fatalities on Hilton Head since 2014, with blue indicating deaths that took place after dark. Data courtesy of the Town of Hilton Head Island.

Complaints come from residents and visitors of all ages as the need for increased safety measures looms over the town’s choice regarding the welfare of the island’s inhabitants and maintaining its aesthetic.

Regardless of complaints versus praise for the lack of street lamps in the state, whether the reason to not have them is for light pollution, wildlife, aesthetic or other purposes, many areas of the state keep roadway lighting to a minimum.

As for the study’s overall findings, the following are the top 10 states in the country that were found to be the most dangerous to drive in at night, along with the percentage of accidents that occurred in the given time frame after nightfall.

  1. Hawaii: 59.01%

  2. California: 58.32%

  3. Florida: 58.30%

  4. Texas: 57.48%

  5. South Carolina: 56.75%

  6. Maryland: 56.37%

  7. Connecticut: 55.98%

  8. Rhode Island: 55.59%

  9. Louisiana: 55.54%

  10. New Jersey: 54.46%

Statistically, it was found following the study that the safest state to drive in at night is Vermont. The ranking was determined as only 109, or 37.07%, of the 294 fatal crashes recorded between 2017 and 2021 occurred at night, the law firm said.