The South Carolina Department of Public Safety announces a preliminary number of nine persons killed on South Carolina roadways last weekend. That brings the total highway fatalities for the year to 45 people as of midnight Sunday. That’s the same number of deaths statewide the same date last year.
38 of the 45 people killed were occupants of motor vehicles. 21 of the 38 were not wearing seat belts. The other road fatalities consisted of 5 pedestrians, one motorcyclist and one bicyclist.
Laurens County continues to have no fatalities listed as of Sunday night, the same as was the case for the past three years on the 26th of January. Neighboring counties also having no highway fatalities were Greenwood, Newberry and Union. Spartanburg County had 3 fatalities in 2013 by January 26th; here in 2014, they’ve improved with 2 fatalities as of that date. Other neighboring counties have worst statistics as of January 26th. Abbeville County and Anderson County had no fatalities this time last year, but they each have 2 already for 2014. Greenville County up from 2 in 2013 to 5 in 2014 while Saluda County from 0 last year to 1 this year.