Car accidents can happen despite the precautions you might take to keep yourself safe.

Although you wear your seatbelt, keep your phone out of reach, and diligently scan the road ahead, a careless driver can cross your path and cause a wreck. Preventing a crash is nearly impossible if you encounter someone running a red light or swerving into your lane or driving while impaired.

According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, 2020 edition, traffic accidents are common across the state, with one occurring every 4.3 minutes during one year. One person sustained an injury every eleven minutes, while one person died every 8.2 hours. The number of fatalities from the year before increased to 1,066, representing a six percent change.