Three Upstate Teens Killed In Vehicle Crashes

By: Carmen Coursey | News Channel 7
Published: July 23, 2009

Three teenagers were killed in Upstate car crashes in just four days.
Troopers said a 15 year old driver, who did not have a license, hit a tree in Laurens Wednesday night.
And Sunday, 16 year old Austin McCullom died when his car went off a road in Oconee County.
Finally, the coroner's office said 18 year old Dmitry Kishka, of Inman, died at the scene of an accident on Interstate 26.
Troopers said Kishka was driving westbound when we ran off the shoulder, over-corrected and went across the guard wires hitting an 18 wheeler.
"The weird part is, he didn't even have a cell phone yet, so I don't know what distracted him, what caused the accident," said his oldest brother, Alex Kishka.
Kishka was one of 18 brothers and sisters. Alex called his brother a gentle giant, who recently graduated Boiling Springs High School and was planning on attending USC Upstate this fall.
"He just had his graduation a couple of months ago. Had his baptism in church 3 weeks ago," said Alex. "He was just starting life when this tragedy happened."
Alex said Dmitry's funeral will be at Egger's Funeral Home in Boiling Springs Sunday at 11 a.m. Visitation begins Friday night at 7 p.m.
Memorials may be made to the Dmitry Kishka Memorial Fund, P. O. Box 0687, Inman, SC 29349.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states on its website that vehicle crashes are the number one killers of teenagers.
The reason, according to the administration, is that teens lack the experience and maturity and often drive too fast.
The site also states that research shows teens driving under the influence, not wearing seat belts and driving distracted, are more likely to die.

So how do South Carolina's teen driving laws stack up against other states? Click here to compare the grades.