The Charleston-North Charleston metropolitan area has been ranked 12th in the nation for pedestrian fatalities, according to Smart Growth America's Dangerous by Design 2026 report. The study recorded 154 pedestrian deaths in the region from 2020 through 2024, a rate of 3.69 per 100,000 residents, as Charleston City Paper reported. The ranking underscores a persistent public safety challenge in a rapidly growing region and highlights the legal complexities that injured pedestrians face after a collision.
South Carolina ranked fourth among states for pedestrian danger. Statewide, 123 pedestrians had been killed this year as of Oct. 6, compared with 129 at the same point in 2025, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety. In response to the crisis, Charleston is using a federal grant to study high-priority intersections from Johns Island to the upper peninsula, ABC News 4 reported. The initiative signals that local officials are beginning to address road design factors that contribute to pedestrian crashes.
For injured pedestrians, understanding legal rights is critical. Woron and Dhillon, LLC is encouraging residents to learn about their rights after a crash and to consult a pedestrian accident lawyer in Charleston, SC to discuss potential compensation. The firm notes several key points: every driver must exercise due care to avoid hitting a pedestrian under S.C. Code § 56-5-3230, with extra precaution around children; a pedestrian crossing outside a crosswalk must yield to vehicles under § 56-5-3150, though this does not erase the driver's duty of care; and in hit-and-run crashes, the pedestrian's own auto policy may provide uninsured motorist coverage. Most injury claims must be filed within three years under S.C. Code § 15-3-530.
Insurers frequently argue that a pedestrian was outside a crosswalk, distracted, or hard to see. Under South Carolina's modified comparative negligence rule, a pedestrian can recover if their share of fault does not exceed the combined fault of the defendants, and any award is reduced by that share. When road design contributes to a crash, a government agency may also share responsibility under the Tort Claims Act.
"Regional rankings describe the scale of the problem," said Brett Woron, an attorney with Woron and Dhillon, LLC. "After a crash, the questions are specific to that driver and that crossing. We start with the driver's speed, attention, and line of sight, then look at whether the crossing itself played a role."
The implications for residents are significant: with pedestrian deaths remaining high, knowing how fault is assigned and what deadlines apply can determine whether an injured person receives compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. The firm handles pedestrian claims along with motorcycle accident, catastrophic injury, and other personal injury matters from its Charleston office and can meet clients at home or in the hospital.
