Nonprofit uses database to track encounters with motorists and pedestrians

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Several deadly pedestrian accidents have been reported in the Charleston area over the past few months. Charleston Moves, a local nonprofit, is working to prevent these types of accidents through a “close call” database.

Charleston Moves says a close call is when a pedestrian or bicyclist almost gets hit or run off the road on their everyday commute.

After hearing many complaints from the community, Charleston Moves reached out to the Charleston Police Department, but they couldn’t do much about these incidents.

Zimmerman says they decided to create this database to track these close calls and mark hotspots with heightened activity. This data then supports their efforts to push for better infrastructure. For example, when the South Carolina Department of Transportation holds its road safety audit or review.

“SCDOT, usually a consultant, and then interested agencies and stakeholders all go out together on an identified corridor. We look at the incident data but then we walk the corridor together and really watch what’s going on and identity improvements,” Zimmerman says.

Charleston Moves encourages people to share their experiences on the roads with them to keep their database current. They say the more details you can add the more useful it will be.

Click here for the Close Call database.

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.