Go-cart, car collide
S.C. Highway Patrol investigating crash near Jonesville that left 2 teens injured
By Andy Paras
Provided
Two teenagers were hurt Wednesday night when their go-cart collided with a car on U.S. Highway 21 near the Jonesville community of Colleton County. A 16-year-old boy suffered a head injury and was flown to the Medical University Hospital in Charleston. A 17-year-old girl was taken to Colleton Medical Center.
WALTERBORO — Two teenagers were rushed to area hospitals Wednesday night after their go-cart struck a car in rural Colleton County.
A 16-year-old boy who had been driving the go-cart was flown to the Medical University Hospital with a head injury. A 17-year-old girl, a go-cart passenger, was taken to Colleton Medical Center with broken bones, said Barry McRoy, director of Colleton County Fire and Rescue.
The wreck occurred at 8:26 p.m. on U.S. Highway 21 near the Jonesville community.
Firefighter-paramedics found both teens lying in the roadway near the severely damaged go-cart.
According to the S.C. Highway Patrol, the boy disregarded a stop sign at Centy Lane and hit the car, which was heading south on U.S. 21. The driver of the car swerved just before impact, preventing a more serious outcome, McRoy said.
Firefighter-paramedics splinted several broken limbs and treated other injuries.
Neither teenager was wearing a helmet, he said.
Reach Andy Paras at 937-5589 or aparas@postandcourier.com.
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Slick50 (anonymous) says...
According to the S.C. Highway Patrol, the boy disregarded a stop sign at Centy Lane and hit the car, which was heading south on U.S. 21.
HUH?
How about the boy disregarded the law about operating an unlicensed vehicle on a state highway?
June 5, 2009 at 5:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oslo59 (anonymous) says...
What a pair of idiots!!
Don't bother splinting their brains because they don't have one.
June 5, 2009 at 5:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
NativeSon (anonymous) says...
The go-carts I've seen do not have lights, either. So, many citations must be issued and some parents admonished.
June 5, 2009 at 6:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wonderdog (anonymous) says...
NativeSon, those parents will be plaintiffs in the lawsuit that will probably be filed against the legal driver of the vehicle they hit and the manufacturer of the go-cart. This is how the parents will try to convince themselves that neither they nor their children were responsible for the incident and that they are "victims". It would make more sense for the driver of the vehicle to sue them for damage to the car.
June 5, 2009 at 6:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ColdBud (anonymous) says...
I'm surprised this type of accident doesn't happen more often. Go-carts, mini-bikes and 4 wheelers are being driven all over public roadways. The teens were old enough to know better and their parents are just plain stupid. They should all be locked up to keep the rest of us safe.
June 5, 2009 at 7:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
katrenavantassle (anonymous) says...
I agree with you ColdBud! Just yesterday I was in traffic at 5 pm going home from work and a person on a MOPED was directly in front of me, slowing down all the major traffic behind me. I thought the law was that MOPED's had to ride on the SIDE OF THE ROAD??? This person stayed in front of me like it was a regular automobile!! And we all know, that if you ride a moped, then you don't have a license to drive due to either DUI or some other moving violation. Why take the risk and let them back on the highway at all???????? Let them take Carta!!!
June 5, 2009 at 9:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
StormWatcher (anonymous) says...
I knew that this was going to happen!!
The golf carts, especially, are running rampant in Walterboro neighborhoods! There are days when there are more golf carts roaming the streets than cars. The rich folks buy these things and hand them over to their kids and I'm talking kids who can hardly reach the pedals! They pile onto these things with all their buddies, screaming, talking on cell phones and completely disregarding vehicular traffic.
I watch them attempt to do things with these vehicles that teenagers do in cars - cut doughnuts, rip up and down the streets, you name it and as soon as they are out of eye shot of their parents they're doing it on these 4-wheelers and golf carts.
Walterboro's chief of police wrote an article a few years ago that was on the front page of The Press and Standard stating that these type of vehicles were against the law on streets and highways - they are considered uninsured vehicles (unless insured and driven by a licensed driver) but did that phase the parents here? Not in the slightest!
With school now being out, the streets will once again be inundated with kids tooling around on these vehicles with as many of their friends as they can get on one so I'm asking everyone in REAL vehicles, please be aware of your surroundings or this will happen yet again.
June 5, 2009 at 10:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jca (anonymous) says...
mopeds go with the flow of regular traffic they are to pull off if they are slowing traffic. you get a special drivers license to operate one. they are to be on the road ways and follow all highway rules.
i do not see how these parents could sue. when their kids caused the accident. they ran a stop sign, hit a car and werent wearing helmets. go carts have never had lights of any kind. the parents couldnt possibly win.
June 5, 2009 at 11:21 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Lovely_One (anonymous) says...
"And we all know, that if you ride a moped, then you don't have a license to drive due to either DUI or some other moving violation. Why take the risk and let them back on the highway at all????????"
Or maybe, just maybe, this person was trying to save on fuel costs. I know several people with valid driver's licenses that ride mopeds due to the rising cost of gas and the drop in their paycheck.
At any rate, these people operating the go-carts, golf carts, mopes, et al need to practice more common sense and abide by the laws that are in place for a reason. Mainly for our safety.
June 5, 2009 at 12:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eyfigueroa (anonymous) says...
hey lovely & coldbud!!
Those children were at fault and the parents should be held liable for any damages incurred.
At some point stupidity has to be punished in such a way that hopefully it will deter others who would do what these idiots did.
yes, the parents are going to sue, as they too aren't too swift and instead of placing the blame on the shoulders of their spawn, they will look for a quick payout.
June 5, 2009 at 12:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mienliebte (anonymous) says...
Unfortunately, there is no cure for stupid.
June 5, 2009 at 12:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oldglory (anonymous) says...
I am delighted to see that ColdBud and Lovely_One have returned! You all were missed :)
June 5, 2009 at 1:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
letstakeawalk (anonymous) says...
@ katrenavantassle
As others have pointed out, a moped is legally required to ride with traffic; they are not held to the bicycle requirements:
"A) Except as provided in subsection (B), every bicyclist operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable. A bicyclist may, but is not required to, ride on the shoulder of the roadway in order to comply with the requirements of this subsection." SECTION 56-5-3430
Note the words "as practicable", which preserves the bicyclist's legal right to use as much of, or the entire right lane as needed to ride safely.
When passing ANY traffic, automobile drivers are directed to pass at a safe distance:
"(1) The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left thereof at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle; and" SECTION 56-5-1840
So treat mopeds (and bicyclists) as full-size traffic - slow down, look for a safe place to pass, use your signal, and move fully into the opposite lane when it is safe to pass.
That said, those kids were really stupid to ride a go-cart on the road, without any safety equipment, and ignoring traffic signs. Not that they deserved to get hit, but they are at fault, and I hope the person who swerved to save their lives gets a brand new vehicle out of the deal...
June 5, 2009 at 5:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wonderdog (anonymous) says...
Those parents should thank the (legal) driver for swerving and saving their kids' lives. They will probably sue instead.
June 5, 2009 at 8 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
StormWatcher (anonymous) says...
The cops, SCHP, and sheriff's dept in Walterboro need to get on the ball and stop this nonsense!!!!
These carpet climbers are all over the roads, streets and highways with these golf carts and 4-wheelers! Drive through Long Leaf or other subdivisions and you'll see them driving around - they're like palmetto bugs on The Battery - EVERYWHERE!!
Is it actually going to take a child being struck AND killed before the law in Colleton County does anything!?!?!!?
These kids were lucky! This might not be the case the next time.
June 13, 2009 at 1:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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