Cayce City Council unanimously adopted a Vision Zero resolution in July, committing to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries on non-interstate roads by 2036. The policy backs a federally funded road safety plan still in development, signaling a long-term shift in how the city approaches street design and traffic enforcement. The resolution cites 3,551 crashes in Cayce from 2019 through 2023, including 14 fatal crashes and 831 injury crashes. Pedestrians and bicyclists were involved in less than 1 percent of all crashes but roughly 36 percent of the fatal ones, exposing a disproportionate risk for vulnerable road users.
The 2036 goal, while ambitious, leaves a decade in which residents will continue to face the aftermath of collisions. Local law firm Woron and Dhillon, LLC is reminding residents that people hurt in crashes before those changes take effect still face medical bills, insurance calls, and filing deadlines. A personal injury lawyer in Cayce, SC can explain how those claims work and who may be responsible. "Safety plans take years to reach the pavement. People injured in the meantime still need answers about who is responsible," said Brett Woron, an attorney with Woron and Dhillon, LLC. "We look at the driver's conduct first, then at whether signals, crosswalks, or lighting contributed to the crash."
For those involved in a crash, several legal steps matter immediately. Under S.C. Code § 56-5-1260, a driver involved in an injury crash must notify police right away. Photographs of crosswalks, signals, and lighting can become critical evidence if road conditions are later disputed. South Carolina follows a modified comparative fault rule: an injured person can recover damages as long as their fault does not exceed the defendants' combined fault, but any award is reduced by their share of responsibility. Most injury claims must be filed within three years under S.C. Code § 15-3-530, while claims against a government entity generally carry a two-year deadline under the South Carolina Tort Claims Act.
Road quality may also become a factor in some claims. The city's early planning targeted four intersections, including Knox Abbott Drive at 12th Street, according to The Post and Courier. When a roadway condition contributes to a crash, a city, county, or state agency may share responsibility with a driver, though those claims follow the Tort Claims Act and its damage limits. The firm handles car accident, slip and fall, and rideshare accident claims in Cayce, among other personal injury matters. Consultations can be requested online.
