2021 motorcycle fatalities highest in state since 1980

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – Officials say 2021 was the deadliest year for motorcycle accidents in the Palmetto State in the past four decades.

“It’s just awful,” attorney David Aylor said. “It’s awful for the friends and family and everybody that has to be affected by it.”

154 motorcyclists died on the roads in 2021, a statistic Aylor says may be due to distracted driving.

“Unfortunately, with modern-day technology,” Aylor said. “Obviously our cell phones, and in vehicles in-and-of themselves, the computer systems and everything that is available to look at while you’re driving, there’s just a lot of distracted driving.”

Aylor, who rides motorcycles says, it’s important to pay attention when driving on the roadways.

“The biggest thing is just making sure that you’re watching 360 degrees of what your surroundings are,” he said.

State law only requires motorcyclists under the age of 21 to wear a helmet, but Aylor believes every rider should wear one.

“What I encourage everybody to do is,” he said. “Whether you’re going four blocks or 40 miles, is to put on a helmet.”

And drivers should be cautious when sharing the road with motorcyclists so both parties can be safe.

“We all get distracted,” Aylor said. “It’s human nature but just really, truly watching out for folks that are on motorcycles because that may be there only form of transportation and when you take that away from them, it’s something that can, unfortunately, affect lives in a lot of negative ways.”

South Carolina Highway Patrol says motorcyclists must be vigilant and drive defensively.