One man was killed and another was injured in a traffic accident in Orangeburg County at the end of July. A tractor trailer carrying hazardous materials and an SUV collided at around 10:45 a.m. on Interstate 26 near mile marker 159. Benjamin Amstutz, 55, of West Columbia was declared dead at the scene.
Mr. Amstutz was killed by blunt force trauma to the head when the tractor trailer that he was driving overturned in the accident. The driver of the SUV, Rolie Gutierrez, 67, was transported to the hospital and the extent of his injuries is unknown. In addition to the debris from the accident, a hazmat team was called to clean up the hazardous materials that leaked from the trailer of the semi-truck.
The results of the accident backed up traffic for more than 15 miles, and the official cause of the accident is still unknown.
South Carolina Traffic Accidents
According to the CDC, motor vehicle crashes are the leading killer of children, teens, and young adults ages five to 34 in addition to being among the top 10 causes of death for all ages. Over 30,000 people are killed in crashes each year in the United States. In South Carolina, the total crash-related costs in 2011 totaled $1.01 billion. Over $8 million was spent in medical costs and $997 million was for costs due to lost work.
Most traffic accidents are caused by some kind of driver error, and unfortunately over 1,000 deaths could be prevented each year in South Carolina if drivers were safer on the roads. The most common causes of traffic accidents in the state include:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Reckless driving
- Running a red light
- Running a stop sign
- Teenage drivers
- Unsafe lane changes
- Tailgating
- Drowsy driving
- Drunk driving or other impaired driving.
Common Types of Traffic Accident Injuries
Accidents on the roadway can cause a number of different injuries, and the severity is typically determined by the seriousness of the crash. However, certain types of injuries occur more often than others in auto accident, and these injuries include:
Brain and head: Closed head injuries, concussions, and traumatic brain injuries are routinely caused by traffic accidents. These types of injuries can also be the most dangerous because symptoms are not always immediate following the crash.
Neck: Whiplash is the most common neck injury, and spinal disc injuries are frequent as well. More serious spinal cord injuries that result in temporary or permanent paralysis also occur as a result of auto accidents.
Back: Typical back injuries resulting from an auto accident include sprains, strains, fracture, disc injury, and paralysis.
Face: In traffic accidents, face injuries can be as simple as scrapes and bruises to more serious injuries like lacerations, fractures, dislocation, and serious dental injuries.
Other areas: Common types of injuries that occur in other areas of the body as a result of a traffic accident include broken bones, soft tissue damage, and internal organ damage.
Columbia Traffic Accident Attorneys Can Help
Most people do not know what to do or who to call when they have been injured in a traffic accident. If you or someone that you know has been injured or killed in a traffic accident in Columbia or the greater South Carolina area, call or contact the expert accident attorneys at the Solomon Law Group today for a free and confidential consultation of your case. We promise to help you through every step of your case and fight for the compensation that you deserve.
