Dangers on the roadways: 6 takeaways from Bluffton Police’s response to deadly crashes
Following a four-vehicle accident on Buckwalter Pkwy that killed a motorcyclist earlier this month, social media outrage prompted the Bluffton Police Department police to act. Just two weeks later, a roomful of locals gathered to discuss what could be done to halt a rising pattern of traffic fatalities in Beaufort County.
The “community safety discussion” on Aug. 21 was also the springboard for the department’s new “Stay Safe, Bluffton!” initiative, which aims to reduce all accidents through education on the dangers of distracted driving.
Here’s six key takeaways from the event.
1. Three hotspots drive the crash totals up
Bluffton officers responded to 53 collisions in the month of July, with the majority clustered around U.S. 278, Bluffton Pkwy and May River Rd. Officers look at these “hotspots” to determine where to focus traffic enforcement, said Chief of Police Joseph Babkiewicz.
Bluffton police typically see an increase in accidents during the summer months. But even when numbers are normal, current traffic patrol teams — typically four to six officers per shift, including two full-time traffic officers — aren’t capable of patrolling all of the town’s problem areas at once, Babkiewicz said. The department recently began creating overtime patrol shifts, but the extra tickets didn’t seem to reduce the increased frequency of collisions, he added.
Despite the current uptick in accidents, Bluffton and surrounding areas maintain a low rate of traffic fatalities relative to the rest of the state. So far in 2023, Beaufort County has had just under nine deaths per 100,000 residents, while Charleston and Greenville Counties are closer to 10, according to data from the SC Department of Public Safety. Spartanburg County has the highest fatality rate this year, with just over 16 deaths per 100,000 people.
2. Legislation is key
But even one death on Beaufort County roadways is too much, said Bluffton resident Jenifer Klepesky, who attended the meeting with her daughter Madison’s picture in hand. Madison and her boyfriend JonPaul Gonzalez, both freshmen at the University of South Carolina Beaufort, were killed by a drunk driver in Jasper County in December 2021.
Speaking tearfully to meeting attendees, Klepesky emphasized the power of legislation in preventing traffic deaths. In mid-July, Gov. Henry McMaster signed the “Ignition Interlock” bill into law, requiring convicted drunk drivers to provide a breath sample into a device installed in their car before the vehicle can start. The law goes into effect in May 2024.
“Driving is not a constitutional right; it’s a privilege,” Klepesky said. “And we’re not doing a good enough job of revoking that privilege for people who don’t deserve to drive, especially if you have multiple DUIs.”
Bluffton police are also advocating for a “hands-free” law in South Carolina, which would prohibit drivers from holding or using electronic devices while driving. While current state law only bans texting and driving, the new bill would allow local law enforcement to enforce many more instances of distracted driving, Babkiewicz said.
Hands-free laws have been passed in 28 states since the advent of cellphones, including Georgia in 2018.
3. It’s not just teenagers
A major goal of the “Stay Safe, Bluffton!” initiative is educating young people on the dangers of drunk driving. Bluffton police even plan to bring the program into the Beaufort County School District, potentially requiring high school students to sign and follow the pledge before they can get a parking pass.
But young people aren’t necessarily more at risk of dangerous driving. Cpl. Jeff Dickson, one of two traffic officers for the department, said he’s noticed no age-related patterns during his patrols — from new drivers to seasoned veterans, all age groups seem to be equally responsible for traffic citations and accidents.
“The conversation has to go beyond just our kids,” said Bluffton Town Council member Bridgette Frazier, who attended the meeting. “The adults are modeling the behaviors that the kids, in turn, are emulating.”
4. Outdated infrastructure plays a role
As one of the fastest-growing regions in the state, the Lowcountry often suffers under outdated and outgrown infrastructure. Beaufort County saw “explosive growth” between the 2010 and 2020 Censuses, with Bluffton’s population jumping 124.4% within the decade.
Babkiewicz doesn’t deny that the area’s growth contributes to local traffic issues, but he said the town’s current infrastructure should be able to sustain its current population. In the meantime, though, Babkiewicz encouraged meeting attendees to contact the Beaufort County’s Traffic Operations department or the statewide Department of Transportation with recommendations and concerns.
5. How many warnings?
The Bluffton Police Department has issued about 2000 warnings to drivers so far this year. Here’s a breakdown of the most-violated traffic safety rules in 2023, not including 148 warnings that fell under “other”:
- Speeding: 696
- Defective equipment: 456
- Vehicle license violation: 424
- Disregarding traffic signal: 83
- Improper lane use: 75
- Improper lights: 59
- Driver license violation: 56
- Disregarding stop sign: 54
- Changing lane unlawfully: 54
6. Traffic enforcement will get stricter
Apart from raising awareness for distracted driving, Bluffton police discussed a number of other precautionary measures that already have or soon will go into effect. Here are a few more facets of the department’s “operational plan”:
- Stricter enforcement of traffic violations (tickets vs. warnings)
- Assigning a different traffic patrol team to each day of the week
- Higher volume of traffic enforcement in school zones during drop-off and pickup
- Once staffing allows, adding two more officers to traffic team (resulting in a four-person team)
- Pushing politicians to make South Carolina a hands-free state
This story was originally published August 30, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
