Deadly trend: Greenville County pedestrian, cyclist deaths exceed pace of last five years

This year is trending to become the deadliest for pedestrians and cyclists in Greenville County.

According to the Greenville County Coroner's Office data, Greenville County had 17 vehicle deaths involving pedestrians or cyclists between Jan. 1 and July 23. By comparison, the number of deaths has exceeded the same period over the last five years. In 2023, there were 12 pedestrian and cyclist deaths, nine in 2022, eight in 2021, and six in 2020.

The county reported 27 pedestrian or cyclist deaths in all of last year.

Inattention and poor road conditions are to blame for most of the deaths, an investigator and advocate say.

According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety , Greenville County is leading South Carolina in pedestrian and cyclist deaths. Lexington County was second with eight deaths so far in 2024. Charleston County and Richland County each reported five deaths. In the Upstate, six pedestrians and cyclists have died in Spartanburg County since the start of the year and five have died in Anderson County.

“It could be your loved one.  I think that this is a very human problem caused by humans and if we don't do something about it, it is going to be someone you love, and then it will be too late,” said Jasmine Vanadore, executive director of Bike Walk Greenville, an organization created to promote safe infrastructure for walking and cycling in Greenville County.

“These individuals are community members, family members, friends or co-workers," she said. "They're more than just a number and I can't emphasize that enough.”

Vanadore knows firsthand about the loss.

Gloria Tania Ruiz regularly took part in Vanadore’s Soul Yoga classes. A driver struck and killed Ruiz on March 31 as she crossed Duncan Road at White Horse Road on her bicycle. The driver was attempting to turn off of Duncan Road and onto White Horse Road when they hit Ruiz. The driver was not charged.

“She (Ruiz) was the type of person that came to class every day with a smile on her face. She sat at the same spot, and she was very, very well-loved by our community,” Vanadore said.

Ruiz’s death inspired Vanadore to join Bike Walk Greenville.

“The day after she passed, we had her mat in the room, but she wasn't there," Vanadore said. "That’s when the number became real."

Why is this happening?

Vanadore and Greenville County Deputy Coroner Deputy Corner Mike Ellis blame inattention mostly for the escalating number of pedestrian and cyclist deaths.

"Sometimes we don't focus like we should,” Ellis said.

However, poor conditions on Greenville County roadways are also a factor.

Vanadore said the county and city are making efforts to help pedestrians, but streets like White Horse Road lack proper lighting and designated bike lanes, have inadequate walking space, and the road has sharp turns.

“It takes just making smarter choices when we're designing our roadways and taking into account the possibilities of road diets. Our streets are designed poorly because they're not designed to consider walkers or cyclists. The streets were solely designed to move cars,” Vanadore said.

The city of Greenville is working on four streets downtown to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety by upgrading intersections, signal timing, and adding landscape medians. Greenville County Council is a step away from forwarding a penny tax to November ballots for voters to decide whether they want to pay for road improvements. If approved, the tax is expected to raise more than $1 billion for road projects.

Per capita, Greenville County spends less than $50 on roads. To compare, Spartanburg spends about $75 per capita, while Charleston spends a little more than $350 per capita.

City and county officials declined to comment on the death statistics or street and road conditions.

More: City of Greenville crews will repave streets, upgrade crosswalks, bike lanes downtown

What can be done?

Reducing pedestrian deaths will take multiple solutions and steps including eliminating driver distractions and better infrastructure.

“If it distracts you from operating that 4000-pound vehicle, it could cause somebody’s demise or even great bodily injury,” Ellis said.

More: Greenville County Sheriff's deputies arrest man who escaped from Tennessee prison

“Taking care of each other, a little bit more community effort of understanding your neighbor and how to be more aware," and mindful, Vanadore adds.

But more lighting and distinct pedestrian lanes in communities are needed to help reverse the deadly trend.

“Lighting would be extremely helpful for pedestrians when using the crosswalks," Ellis said. It's going to take everybody who's involved to make a difference, city, county, and individuals.”

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Deadly trend: Greenville County pedestrian, cyclist deaths exceed pace of last five years