A tragic accident occurred on a South Carolina roadway last week that claimed the lives of two young women. The State reported that 20-year-old Shakeria Harris and 21-year-old Brittany McQueen were driving on Weaver Road, just outside the Midlands when the incident occurred. Master Trooper Gary Miller of the South Carolina Highway Patrol says the accident happened at around 4:20 p.m.
Officials say that Harris was driving the vehicle and McQueen was riding as a passenger. The vehicle had been heading north on Weaver Road when it ran off the right side of the street, crashed into an embankment, hit a tree, and then flipped over. Neither of the two women were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the collision. The Edgefield County Coroner, David Burnett, told the news source that the girls died from the injuries they suffered in what he believes to be an accident, however, information on what may have contributed to causing the crash was not available.
212 Fatal Collisions Already Recorded for 2020 in South Carolina
According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, there have already been 212 fatal car crashes that occurred in South Carolina so far this year and 234 people have died. While 165 of those individuals had access to seat belts, 85 were not wearing one. While some of these victims were drivers, others were riding as a passenger.
If you or a loved one suffered an injury in a car accident in SC while riding as a passenger, you are encouraged to contact the Columbia, SC car accident lawyers at The Louthian Firm Accident & Injury Lawyers for legal advice. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the crash, you may need a reputable Columbia, SC accident lawyer to help you recover the compensation you deserve from the liable party. This is especially true if the accident involved an Uber or Lyft driver.
How can a passenger help the driver they are riding with get to their destination safely?
If you’re going to ride as a passenger in someone else’s vehicle, you need to be sure the driver is capable of operating the motor vehicle in a safe manner.
Although passengers do not have physical control over a vehicle, they can help a driver get to their destination safely. The Daily News discussed with Tommy Kendall, a Four-Time Trans-Am champion race driver and commentator, things a passenger can do to make a trip a safer one. Here is what he had to say:
- Be a co-pilot. “Be the eyes and ears when the driver is pulling out onto a highway or making a turn.”
- Don’t back-seat drive.
- Refrain from talking on the phone.
- Contain your voice. Yelling or talking loudly, especially in an emergency situation, is a “huge distraction that pulls the driver away from concentrating.”
Ready to speak with a car accident lawyer in Columbia, SC to learn more about your rights as a victim? If so, our firm is available to take your call now.
The Louthian Firm Accident & Injury Lawyers can be reached at:
1116 Blanding Street, #3A
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: 888-316-9040
Website: www.louthianlaw.com
