Early Sunday morning, four USC Upstate college students were killed in a crash on Valley Falls Road. Horace Sproull, Sarah Vande Berg, James Campbell and Josh Lee all died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. According to WLOS ABC News Channel 13, one student, Felicia Ahlborg, survived the crash and is in fair condition. At this time, very few details about the one-car crash have been released. We do know that the car ran off of the roadway, struck a tree and burst into flames.
Deadly Crash in Spartanburg
No information has been released on why or how the car ran off of the roadway. The cause of this crash is still under investigation with law enforcement officials and South Carolina State Troopers, and there has been no word on whether or not any or all of the students were buckled up at the time of the crash. A memorial and vigil was held on Monday night on the USC campus. The extent of Felicia Ahlborg’s injuries has not been released yet either.
Car Accidents and Young Drivers and Passengers
The leading cause of death for young people in America is car accidents. Drivers of all ages are encouraged to buckle up for every trip. The best way to protect yourself in the event of a crash is to use your seat belt. Listed below are a few of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s statistics on injury causing and fatal car crashes across the nation.
Injury Causing and Fatal Crashes Across The U.S.
- In 2013, there were an estimated 5,687,000 police-reported traffic crashes across the nation.
- 32,719 people were killed in crashes in 2013.
- In 2013, an estimated 2,313,000 people were injured in traffic crashes.
- In 2013, young drivers (between the ages of 15 and 20 years old) accounted for less than six percent of the driving population.
- Of all drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2013, nine percent were young drivers.
Tragedy Strikes USC Upstate Community
As the entire USC Upstate community mourns, the team at Davis Law Group, P.A. sends their deepest condolences to the family members, friends, loved ones and classmates of Horace Sproull, Sarah Vande Berg, James Campbell and Josh Lee. We also wish a full and swift recovery for Felicia Ahlborg.