What county government can do to increase traffic safety

County planning staff analyzed 10 years of thousands of Oconee traffic accidents, and has drawn conclusions about what can be done locally to reduce fatalities, injuries, and property damage.  After a presentation from Adam Chapman, the county planner, the county planning commission voted to forward the report to committees of the county council, in hopes that the county can trigger safety improvements. Chapman last night said failing to yield right-of-way, driving too fast for conditions, and driving under the influence stand out as top reasons for Oconee County traffic collisions. Even though four-lane 123 is Oconee’s most travelled highway, narrow, two-lane roads such as Coffee Road, the Shiloh Road, and Cherry Road were mentioned as frequent scenes for fatalities. Chapman told the planning commissioners that, in their capacity, county councilmen can’t enforce traffic laws or engineer highway improvements, but they can throw their weight toward safer motoring.  As Chapman said last night, South Carolina is considered the most dangerous state for driving and Greenville the worst county.  The statistics and analysis were an eye-opener for the county planning commissioners, with Mike Johnson concluding that it’s a no-brainer:  the commission should devote its attention to driving problems.