Constant Flow of Large Vehicles and Absense of Signs Cause Pose Serious Dangers in Low-Moderate Income Communities

There is a significant problem in South Sumter, South Carolina where some streets are narrow and only allow the passage of one car at a time. The narrowness of these streets makes it problematic for large vehicles such as SUVs and trucks to pass in these areas without oftentimes having to move over and allow motorists heading in the opposite directions to safely get by. This traffic problem worsens when large 18-wheeler tractor trailers and dump trucks travel in some areas in South Sumter such as on W. Williams Street.

The traffic on W. Williams Street creates very dangerous and treacherous conditions for people who are walking or standing on W. Williams Street. There are no sidewalks in this community and with this being the case, children ages from 4 to 18 years old have no recourse other than to stand crowded together on tiny areas of grass, waiting for school buses to pick them up. At the same, are vulnerable to being hit by the traffic flowing through that area, which includes tractor trailers, dump trucks and vehicles carrying heavy equipment.

Children at greatest risk of hurt, harm and danger are the Pre-K and kindergarten-aged boys and girls because of their inability to defend and protect themselves, and are less likely to be able to quickly get out of the way of the large, oversized vehicles that travel through their neighborhood.

The aforementioned community does not have street signs that denote where bus stops are located, nor indicates that traffic is to stop while children are boarding and exiting the buses.

It is urgent and of the utmost importance the City of Sumter, the Sumter County Government, the SC Department of Transportation, the Sumter County Legislative Delegation and First Steps of South Carolina act promptly and expeditiously to work together to end the very dangerous and treacherous problems of oversized tractor trailer and dump trucks traveling through the low to moderate-income neighborhoods.

The concept regarding making sure children from 0 to age 5 have the readiness necessary to achieve the highest potential they can attain is good. However, in order to bring this concept into fruition, we as a community must do everything humanly and legally possible to help these children survive and live normal, healthy, prosperous lives in safe, secure and sustainable environments.

The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution grants all Americans "Equal Protection Under the Law." It is mandatory our state abides by and adheres to the laws that protect and defend both civil and human rights for all people.