Pedestrian deaths up sharply in S.C.

Pedestrian deaths are up sharply in parts of the Midlands and all across South Carolina.

They are up especially in the city of Columbia, where they have zoomed to five so far this year from no pedestrian deaths in the same time period last year. And they have more than doubled in Lexington County, up to 10 so far this year compared with four by the same date last year.

“That’s six more than they had last year – quite an increase,” said S.C. Highway Patrol Capt. Brad Hughes, commander of Troop One, whose troopers cover a six-county Midlands area that includes Richland, Lexington and Kershaw counties.

Hughes held a press conference Tuesday. It was one of a number of patrol events across the state this week to highlight the spiking number of pedestrian deaths and warn motorists and pedestrians what they can do to avoid such mishaps.

In all, pedestrian deaths across the state up are up 24 percent – to 101 so far this year from 81 at the same time last year. In all of 2009, 87 pedestrians died.

A year ago, patrol commanders recognized the growing number of pedestrian deaths in South Carolina and implemented a program called SEE. The letters stand for “Stop, Educate and Enforce” – meaning troopers on patrol can stop and talk to pedestrians who they observe in potentially dangerous situations.

Tuesday, patrol officials said more than 2,900 pedestrians had been talked to since earlier in the year but conceded more needs to be done.

Hughes said most pedestrian fatalities have one or more of these elements:

• An intoxicated pedestrian

• A pedestrian wearing dark clothes (most pedestrians are hit at night)

• A pedestrian walking with their back to traffic.

Pedestrians should know to walk toward traffic and wear light-colored clothing, Hughes said.

“Motorists, too, can change their driving habits to help address this issue,” he said. They can drive slower, avoid using cellphones, be more alert to pedestrians – especially when making right turns – and not overdrive their headlights at night by driving too fast, he said.

Troopers will be out in force this holiday season and have “zero tolerance” for violations that contribute to fatalities, such as speeding or DUI or seat belt violations, he said.

Columbia police Chief Randy Scott said later that his department is beefing up the traffic unit and studying ways to respond to the pedestrian fatality increase, such as citing pedestrians who pose a safety threat.

“It’s sometimes the fault of the driver, but we can’t put all the fault on them,” Scott said. Many pedestrians ignore common safety precautions by crossing in the middle of streets, he said.

Of the five pedestrian deaths in Columbia this year, Scott said, four of them involved a person in the roadway in a low-light area. The fifth death involved an elderly woman who could not get across the street in time, he said.

University of South Carolina law enforcement chief Chris Wuchenich, who was at the news conference, said several students have been struck by cars this year at the 20,000-plus student university but none fatally.

“We have a very vulnerable population, in a very confined area, where you’re bringing in a lot of pedestrians and a lot of motorists,” Wuchenich said.

Campus police are working with student leaders and transportation officials “to put together as many educational and informative campaigns as we can” to increase student awareness of pedestrian accidents, he said.

School officials in the spring told city officials they would like to put fencing similar to that on Blossom Street in the median on Assembly Street near the engineering center, where a student was hit in February.

Troopers said they are awaiting the finalization of a purchase of thousands of highly reflective “slap bands.” Plans call for troopers who see pedestrians in a risky night situation to hand out the bands.