January 22, 2025 | Car Accidents
Anyone who has driven along U.S. Route 17 or its alternate route (U.S. 17A) through South Carolina knows that some extra vigilance is all but required when doing so. In 2023 alone, fatal and serious traffic crashes in South Carolina resulted in $30.9 billion in economic and quality-of-life costs, according to TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit.
What Challenges Do U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 17A Cause?
Most interstate highways in the U.S. are built to standardized specifications, but these specific roads have evolved.
As a result, driving on U.S. Route 17 or its alternate route comes with a particular set of issues to be aware of:
- Sudden transitions between high-speed and low-speed zones, especially near small towns
- Wildlife crossings, which are particularly dangerous during dawn and dusk
- Unlit sections on U.S. 17A that create visibility challenges
- Weather-related issues unique to coastal areas, including frequent fog and standing water
- Heavy tourist traffic mixed with local commuters who know the roads intimately
- Numerous access points from private properties and small roads
- Sharp turns and sudden curves that catch drivers off guard, leading to fatal crashes.
When you combine historical road design with today’s traffic volume and vehicle diversity, you begin to understand why these routes prove particularly hazardous.
South Carolina’s Traffic Accident Rates
In South Carolina, 1,066 traffic fatalities occurred in 2020, up from 1,006 the year before. What’s striking here isn’t just the number of deaths, though, but that over half of those who had access to seat belts weren’t wearing them.
Meanwhile, pedestrian deaths rose to 187, even as overall injuries on these roads decreased. When you extrapolate these instances across thousands of car accidents, you begin to understand why these routes have earned their dangerous reputation.
Dealing With Road Safety Challenges
Making U.S. Routes 17 and 17A safer isn’t a simple task, but here are the key areas that can use the most attention starting out:
Design Challenges
Engineers know how to build safer roads with wider shoulders and better curves. The problem is that these two particular highways run through protected wetlands and historic sites, meaning the engineers can’t tear down everything and start fresh. Instead, they must find ways to make the existing roads safer through smaller improvements.
Addressing the Tourist Problem
Local drivers are familiar with dangerous spots on these roads, such as risky intersections and areas that flood after heavy downpours, but out-of-town drivers won’t know about these hazards. They’ll often rely on GPS directions that can’t warn them about sudden speed changes or hidden curves, especially while trying to find their way to vacation spots.
Road Capacity Issues
Today’s heavy traffic far exceeds what these roads were designed to handle when they were first constructed in the 1960s. While rebuilding the entire system isn’t possible, specific safety upgrades can help manage the increased traffic volume.
What Are the Current Safety Improvements?
South Carolina has added several new safety features to the roads, namely:
- Better warning signs for dangerous spots ahead, such as sharp turns or dangerous intersections
- Modern drainage solutions in flood-prone sections
- Strategic placement of turning lanes at high-risk intersections
- Enhanced lighting at critical points
- New wildlife crossing warning systems
These changes mark real progress, but the work of making these historic routes safer continues.
Driving Safely on South Carolina Roads
It’s wishful thinking to imagine the dangers of U.S. Routes 17 and 17A disappearing overnight. Realistically, it’s being able to understand what makes them dangerous in the first place that will help drivers make better decisions and avoid risky situations, especially during tourist season, when traffic increases and many unfamiliar drivers take to the road.
Contact a South Carolina Car Accident Lawyer at Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers Today
For more information, contact the car accident law firm of Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers to schedule a free initial consultation. We have five convenient locations in South Carolina: Columbia, Lexington, Orangeburg, and Blythewood.
Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers – Columbia, SC
1333 Main St #510,
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 573-0869
Our firm is located near you. We have an office in Columbia, SC.
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 34.0036663,-81.0346429
Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers – Lexington, SC
5465 Sunset Blvd Suite B,
Lexington, SC 29072
(803) 721-4241
Our firm is located near you. We have an office in Lexington, SC.
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 33.9981412,-81.2202483
Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers – Orangeburg, SC
161 Elliott St SE Suite B,
Orangeburg, SC 29115
(803) 884-2053
Our firm is located near you. We have an office in Orangeburg, SC.
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 33.4913915,-80.8608485
Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers – Blythewood, SC
749-2 University Village Dr,
Blythewood, SC 29016
(803) 866-5190
Our firm is located near you. We have an office in Blythewood, SC.
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 34.2165616,-80.9866654
Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers – Columbiana Dr
380 Columbiana Dr
Columbia, SC 29212
(803) 866-5522
Our firm is located near you. We have a secondary office in Columbia, SC.
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 34.0857948,-81.1613165
