CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- South Carolina is the nation's most dangerous state for rural drivers, according to a study by a Washington-based research group who says the nation's country roads and bridges are in need of improvements.
TRIP released its report Thursday, saying South Carolina had 4.7 fatalities per 100 million miles driven in 2009, the last year for which statistics were available. That was considerably ahead of the 3.47 deaths for the second-ranking state, Florida.
North Carolina ranked 11th nationally, with 2.74 deaths per 100 million miles.
TRIP, a 40-year-old nonprofit organization which lobbies for road safety and improvements, defined rural driving as that which took place in areas outside the commuting zone for cities of 50,000 or more.
The report supports a study released a month ago by AAA Carolinas, which said South Carolina motorists are more likely to die on rural roads than on city thoroughfares. The AAA study said many of the Palmetto State's country roads lacked proper shoulders and did not get enough attention by law enforcement personnel.
Tom Crosby of AAA Carolinas referred to the rural roads as "killing grounds."
South Carolina rate of fatalities on rural roads was markedly higher than the rate on all other roads -- 0.32 deaths per 100 million miles.
In its study, TRIP said rural roads are more likely to have narrow lanes and reported that 34 percent of rural fatal crashes involve a vehicle going off the road.
Researchers for the organization said 15 percent of fatal crashes involved a head-on collision, compared to 8 percent for other roads. Leaders of the study said they believe driver fatigue, inattention by drivers, and driving too fast on curves are causes for those head-on crashes.
South Carolina Transportation Secretary Robert St. Onge said drivers need to slow down, wear seat belts, pay closer attention to the road, and don't drink and drive.
TRIP suggested these improvements for rural roads:
- Low-cost changes, such as installing rumble strips on the centerlines and sides of roads; improving signage and lane markings, including higher reflectivity; installing lighting; and adding skid-resistant surfaces on curves.
- Moderate-cost changes, such as adding turn lanes at intersections, resurfacing pavement, and adding median barriers.
- Higher-cost changes, such as improving roadway alignment, reducing the angles of curves, widening lanes, adding or paving shoulders, adding intermittent passing lanes, and adding third or fourth lanes.
