Lexington County traffic collisions caused 70 deaths last year.

Between January 1 and May 5, 13 people died on Lexington County roads. That’s down 17 deaths from 2018.

30 died in that same time last year, the SC Department of Public Safety reports.

Statewide, 641 people died on SC roads last year.

Esurance studied National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data to find out which states have the deadliest roads.

It found:

• SC ranks 3rd for the most dangerous state for drivers with 19.7 crash fatalities per 100,000 residents.

• SC saw a 22.2% increase in crash fatalities over the past 5 years, one of the largest increases in the nation.

• 42% of SC road fatalities were due to speeding.

• Nearly 7% were due to distracted driving.

Research suggests rural roads tend to be more dangerous than urban ones.

The study found rural states tend to have the highest fatality rates. Mississippi and Wyoming topped the list as most dangerous.

Find the full study at https://www.esurance.com/insights/dangerous-driving-study .