When she got her permit on Monday, Cushire Akabidavis had license to drive on some of the most dangerous roads in the nation, governed by a state with some of the weakest teen driving laws.
Within minutes she became another young victim of that volatile mix.
Drivers between the ages of 15 and 17 were involved in 64 traffic fatalities and more than 8,400 injuries in 2006, according to a study by the motorist club AAA.
Those accidents cost taxpayers $629 million, roughly the price of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge.
“South Carolina is in the top three worst states in the country for driving, and they have some of the worst laws in dealing with teen driving,” said Tom Crosby, vice president for communications at AAA Carolinas.
“This is the state that would not even pass a law to prevent teens from texting while driving.