LORIS, Horry County, S.C., Sept. 26, 2026 — A utility task vehicle overturned on Bonnie Bay Road late on Friday night, September 25, blocking all lanes near Booth Road. One person was taken to a hospital with injuries.
Horry County Fire Rescue crews were dispatched to the scene at 10:45 p.m. The UTV reportedly flipped in the roadway, prompting a full closure of Bonnie Bay Road while crews worked the scene.
One person was transported to a hospital with injuries described only as present at the time of the report. A second person involved signed a waiver declining medical transport, Horry County Fire Rescue said.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. Horry County Police Department and Loris Fire Department assisted at the scene, and no cause has been released.
We hope everyone who was hurt makes a full and speedy recovery.
When Off-Road Vehicle Crashes Happen After Dark
Utility task vehicles and similar off-road machines are built for work sites and trails, not for the same visibility conditions as passenger cars. At night, their smaller headlights and lower ride height make it harder for a driver to judge curves, ruts, or soft shoulders, and harder for other road users to see them coming.
Late evening and overnight hours also bring more fatigue and slower reaction times, whether a driver has been out since morning or is finishing a long day. On rural roads, where these vehicles are more commonly driven, there are fewer streetlights and less traffic to help flag a hazard ahead, so a rollover can go undetected for longer before help arrives.
Weekend nights tend to see more recreational use of UTVs and similar vehicles, which can add unfamiliar drivers or unfamiliar routes into the mix after dark. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 23,959 passenger-vehicle occupants were killed in motor-vehicle traffic crashes in 2023, a reminder that vehicle type and time of day both shape how a crash plays out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do most traffic accidents happen?
Most crashes occur on local and rural roads rather than highways, usually at intersections or curves where visibility is limited, or speeds are misjudged.
What are common injuries in accidents like this?
Rollover-type crashes commonly cause head and neck injuries, broken bones, and cuts or bruises from being thrown against the vehicle's frame or roof.
What typically causes these kinds of crashes?
Common factors include loss of control on uneven terrain, excessive speed for conditions, driver inexperience, and reduced visibility at night.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Loris, SC
If you're involved in or witness a crash like this, call 911 right away and stay clear of the roadway until help arrives. Even minor injuries should be checked by a medical professional, since some symptoms don't show up until hours later.
Cooperate with responding agencies, and if it's safe to do so, take note of what you saw. Loris residents can help keep roads safer by giving crash scenes a wide berth and following any detour or closure instructions from fire and police crews on site.
