Most Dangerous Roads/Intersections in Edgefield County

Edgefield, SC, has one of the best safety records for car accidents. Edgefield County falls in the safest 20% of South Carolina counties for the lowest number of car accidents. It also falls in the safest 40% of counties with the fewest traffic deaths.

Edgefield provides a small sample size to identify its most dangerous roads and intersections. Edgefield County had 319 traffic collisions in 2019. For comparison, Aiken County, which is just next door to Edgefield County, had 4,081 traffic collisions in 2019. 

But looking at accidents over the past 15 years, some patterns begin to emerge. Here are some of the most dangerous roads and intersections in Edgefield, SC, and how you can navigate them safely.

Most Dangerous Roads and Intersections in Edgefield’s City Limits

Edgefield has only had four fatal accidents within its city limits in the past 15 years. But these accidents happened on two of the busiest roads in Edgefield.

US-25/Bauskett Street

MOST-DANGEROUS-ROADS-AND-INTERSECTIONS-IN-EDGEFIELD’S-CITY-LIMITS

US-25 is a major route that runs from Brunswick, GA, to the Ohio state line. From Edgefield, US-25 runs south to Augusta, GA, and north to Greenville, SC.

As it passes through Edgefield, US-25/Bauskett Street is a two-lane undivided highway. It has no center turn lane and no passing lane. It also has no median strip. The posted speed limit in town is 35 miles per hour.

Most fatal collisions in Edgefield County result from speeding. Police identify speeding as the cause of almost three times as many accidents as the second-most common cause — failure to yield.

The 35 mile-per-hour speed limit on US-25/Bauskett Street through Edgefield exists for good reason. The highway winds through woods and farms on the edge of Edgefield, with limited visibility down the road. Speeders can easily run up on a slower vehicle without even realizing it.

The intersections with US-25/Bauskett Street either have no traffic controls or have stop signs. None of the intersections use traffic signals. This lack of traffic control can exacerbate speeding by putting cross-traffic directly in the path of oncoming speeders.

Finally, US-25/Bauskett Street lacks street lamps. When they are driving US-25/Bauskett Street at night, drivers only have their headlights. When drivers speed at night, they might not see vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists until it is too late to stop.

The two fatal accidents on US-25/Bauskett Street within Edgefield’s city limits both resulted from intoxicated driving. 

These accidents happened near the fork that splits US-25/Bauskett Street from US-25 BUS/Main Street. The drunk drivers may have left the bars along US-25 BUS/Main Street and collided with cars coming down US-25/Bauskett Street near the fork.

US-25 BUS/Main Street

In Edgefield, US-25 splits into a truck route — Bauskett Street — and a business route — Main Street. Both segments have been the site of fatal accidents in the past 15 years.

US-25 BUS/Main Street is an undivided two-lane highway through Edgefield. The posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour entering the business district and 25 miles per hour within the business district.

This road winds through the heart of Edgefield, where it intersects with multiple cross-streets. It includes Edgefield’s only traffic signals. 

Despite the low-speed limit and traffic control system, US-25 BUS/Main Street saw one fatal accident and several non-fatal accidents over the past 15 years.

Intersection of US-25/Bauskett Street and SC-23/Main Street/Jeter Street

Before it passes through town, US-25 BUS/Main Street merges with SC-23/Columbia Road. As it leaves town, the road splits. US-25 BUS/Buncombe Street turns north toward US-25/Bauskett Street. The other part of the road becomes SC-23/Jeter Street and turns south toward US-25/Bauskett Street.

US-25/Bauskett Street and SC-23/Main Street/Jeter Street meet at one of the most dangerous intersections in Edgefield. This intersection has a four-way stop, despite the volume of traffic that passes through it.

It also brings together two major roads with 35 mile-per-hour speed limits. When cars fail to stop at the stop signs, they can do severe damage.

This intersection has been the site of one fatal accident and dozens of injury-only accidents.

Most Dangerous Roads and Intersections on Edgefield’s Outskirts

Edgefield County has seen dozens of accidents outside of Edgefield’s city limits. In 2019, the county had 319 collisions that injured 202 people and killed four. 

Some of Edgefield’s most dangerous roads and intersections fall on Edgefield’s outskirts, including:

SC-23

Outside of Edgefield, SC-23 provides a major route to travel around Edgefield County. It runs east-west, connecting Batesburg-Leesville to Modoc. This undivided two-lane highway has speed limits of up to 55 miles per hour.

In 2019, SC-23 was the site of 19 auto accidents. These accidents resulted in seven injuries and one death. 

Near Edgefield, the most dangerous section runs west from the Edgefield city limits for about four miles. This section of SC-23 has had three fatal accidents in the past 15 years.

US-25

US-25 is much more dangerous outside of Edgefield than it is inside the city limits. The highway has higher speeds but has no additional safety features like a median strip or passing lanes.

As a result, drivers often make dangerous moves into oncoming traffic when they need to pass slow-moving vehicles. Distracted or intoxicated drivers can also cross over into oncoming traffic.

US-25 is Edgefield County’s most dangerous road. In 2019, 56 crashes happened on this road. These crashes caused no fatalities but injured 59 people. 

In the area around Edgefield, US-25 has been the site of two fatal accidents south of the town and two more fatal accidents north of town.

Navigating the Most Dangerous Roads and Intersections in Edgefield, SC

Edgefield’s car accidents tend to cluster around just two roads and one intersection. These are major roads, so you cannot avoid them entirely. But knowing which roads pose a risk of an accident can help you to understand which roads require special caution.

Contact An Experienced Edgefield County, SC Car Crash Lawyer At Hawk Law Group Today For More Information

When you drive down these roads, you should slow down. Always drive sober. This will substantially reduce your risk of getting into a car accident on Edgefield’s most dangerous roads and intersections.If you’ve been in a car accident in Edgefield, SC, you may be able to seek compensation for your injuries or vehicle damages. To discuss your car accident on the roads and intersections of Edgefield, SC, contact Hawk Law Group for a free consultation.