The city of Aiken and Aiken County have good traffic safety records. Aiken County’s motor vehicle death rate is about 10% lower than the motor vehicle death rate for South Carolina as a whole.
But Aiken still has its fair share of traffic accidents. In 2019, the most recent year with full statistics, Aiken County saw 30 deaths and over 1,500 people injured on its roads. Two of these fatalities and hundreds of these injuries happened within the Aiken city limits.
Here is some information about the most dangerous roads and intersections in Aiken, SC, along with some tips on how to stay safe on them.
Aiken’s Notorious Roads and Intersections
Locals know that Aiken has two roads, Whiskey Road/SC-19 and Pine Log Road/SC-302, that account for many of Aiken’s car accidents. In 2019, car accidents on these two roads caused 232 injuries and four deaths.
Whiskey Road/Laurens Street/SC-19
Whiskey Road runs south from Aikens to New Ellenton and SC-125. In Aiken, Whiskey Road/SC-19 merges with Chesterfield Street. SC-19 picks up again about three blocks west as Laurens Street. Laurens Street/SC-19 runs north from Aikens to I-20.
Outside of Aiken, Whiskey Road/SC-19 is an undivided four-lane highway with a posted speed limit of 55 miles per hour. Speeding causes more accidents than any other factor. In Aiken County, police cited speeding as the inciting factor for accidents that led to 11 deaths and over 300 injuries.
Whiskey Road/SC-19 passes through rural and wooded areas before it reaches the city limits. These conditions can tempt drivers to exceed the 55 mile per hour speed limit.
The road also lacks a median strip or a center turn lane. Without a median strip, distracted or drowsy drivers can quickly cross into oncoming traffic.
These conditions led to three deaths and 160 injuries on Whiskey Road/Laurens Street/SC-19 in 2019.
Pine Log Road/SC-302
Pine Log Road/SC-302 is only about three miles long. It connects Augusta Aiken Road/Richland Avenue/US-78 to Whiskey Road/SC-19.
The road has two lanes in each direction, along with a center turn lane. The posted speed limit is 45 miles per hour.
This road has heavy traffic. It is home to many businesses. This stretch also provides access to several neighborhoods. Lastly, it provides a route to travel between two major roads — US-78 and SC-19.
Pine Log Road/SC-302 was the site of one fatality and 72 injuries in 2019.
Intersection of Whiskey Road/SC-19 and Pine Log Road/SC-302
Whiskey Road/SC-19 and Pine Log Road/SC-302 come together to form the most dangerous intersection in Aiken.
This intersection brings together two congested roads with fast speed limits. A traffic light with a protected left turn signal controls the intersection.
This intersection was the site of 53 car accidents in 2019. These accidents caused eleven injuries.
Other Intersections on Whiskey Road/SC-19
Whiskey Road/SC-19 has a reputation for car accidents. Other roads that connect to Whiskey Road/SC-19, such as Dougherty Road and Richland Avenue/US-78, form intersections that experience multiple car accidents every year.
What Are Some Other Dangerous Roads and Intersections in Aiken?
Aiken has several other roads where accidents seem to cluster every year. Some of Aiken’s most heavily traveled roads are also some of its most dangerous. These include:
Augusta Aiken Road/Richland Avenue/US-78
US-78 connects Aiken to Augusta to the west and Charleston to the east. This highway runs through the center of Aiken and provides access to many businesses and neighborhoods in the city.
Outside of Aiken, Augusta Aiken Road/Richland Avenue/US-78 has two lanes in each direction that are divided by a median. The posted speed limit is 55 miles per hour.
Along these sections of road east and west of Aiken, Augusta Aiken Road/Richland Avenue/US-78 has seen 13 fatal accidents in the past 15 years.
Once Augusta Aiken Road/Richland Avenue/US-78 enters Aiken’s city limits, the speed limit drops to 35 miles per hour. Despite the slower speed limit, three people died in two separate accidents on Augusta Aiken Road/Richland Avenue/US-78 just inside of Aiken’s city limits.
York Street/US-1
US-1 runs from Key West, FL, to the Canadian border at Fort Kent, ME. The section of US-1 in South Carolina passes directly through the center of Aiken.
As it heads out of Aiken, York Street/US-1 is a four-lane undivided highway with a posted speed limit of 40 miles per hour. This road has no center turn lane within the section that passes through Aiken.
This road was the site of two fatal accidents in 2019. It also had 118 injury-only accidents that injured 175 people.
Park Avenue
Park Avenue runs parallel to Augusta Aiken Road/Richland Avenue/US-78, passing through the center of Aiken. The road is less than three miles long. But over the past 15 years, it has seen two fatalities and several injuries.
The two fatal accidents each involved drunk drivers. The blocks between Park Avenue and Augusta Aiken Road/Richland Avenue/US-78 have many bars and restaurants that serve alcohol. People who drink at these establishments and then proceed to drive endanger themselves and other drivers and pedestrians out on the roads.
US-78 Bypass/SC-118
This road passes north of Aiken and allows traffic on US-78 to bypass Aiken. This highway connects US-1 to US-78.
Near US-1, this road is a four-lane divided highway. As it approaches US-78, it narrows to become a two-lane undivided highway. Both sections are dangerous, but the intersection between US-78 Bypass/SC-118 and US-1 saw 20 injuries and one fatality in 2019.
Navigating the Dangerous Roads and Intersections in Aiken, SC
The local roads in Aiken have a decent safety record. But the major highways that connect Aiken with Georgia and the rest of South Carolina produce several fatalities and many injuries every year.
While you cannot avoid these roads, you can take steps to avoid accidents. Speeding causes about 1,100 accidents in Aiken County every year. Distracted driving causes about 550 accidents in the county annually.
Contact an Aiken County, SC Car Wreck Lawyer at Hawk Law Group for a Free Consultation Today
Slowing down and paying attention could substantially reduce your odds of getting into a serious accident in Aiken, SC.If you’ve been injured in a car accident on the roads and intersections of Aiken, SC, contact Hawk Law Group at (803) 226-9089 for a free consultation. We’ll discuss the facts of your case and help you to pursue compensation for your damages.
