Fatal crashes in South Carolina
In 2024, 1,038 people died in 948 fatal crashes on South Carolina roads, 0.9% fewer than in 2023. That is about 3 deaths a day, and 2.6% of all road deaths in the United States.
South Carolina ranks 13th of 51 by road deaths in 2024, and 4th by deaths per resident. Every state in 2024.
Road deaths in South Carolina since 1975
Road deaths in South Carolina peaked in 2021 at 1,198; 2024's 1,038 is 13% below that. The lowest year was 1982 with 730. 2024 is 3% below 2000 and 27% above 1975.
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,038 | 948 | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 1,047 | 976 | -4.3% |
| 2022 | 1,094 | 1,019 | -8.7% |
| 2021 | 1,198 | 1,112 | +12.4% |
| 2020 | 1,066 | 964 | +6.0% |
| 2019 | 1,006 | 927 | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 1,036 | 969 | +4.8% |
| 2017 | 989 | 925 | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 1,020 | 941 | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 979 | 911 | +19.0% |
Show 1975 to 2014
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 823 | 756 | +7.3% |
| 2013 | 767 | 719 | -11.1% |
| 2012 | 863 | 806 | +4.2% |
| 2011 | 828 | 767 | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 809 | 750 | -9.5% |
| 2009 | 894 | 817 | -2.9% |
| 2008 | 921 | 841 | -14.5% |
| 2007 | 1,077 | 985 | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 1,045 | 973 | -4.5% |
| 2005 | 1,094 | 981 | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 1,046 | 946 | +7.9% |
| 2003 | 969 | 905 | -8.0% |
| 2002 | 1,053 | 949 | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 1,060 | 962 | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 1,065 | 948 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1,065 | 944 | +6.3% |
| 1998 | 1,002 | 912 | +11.0% |
| 1997 | 903 | 798 | -2.9% |
| 1996 | 930 | 821 | +5.6% |
| 1995 | 881 | 782 | +4.0% |
| 1994 | 847 | 753 | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 846 | 776 | +4.8% |
| 1992 | 807 | 718 | -9.3% |
| 1991 | 890 | 789 | -9.1% |
| 1990 | 979 | 884 | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 996 | 895 | -3.4% |
| 1988 | 1,031 | 908 | -5.1% |
| 1987 | 1,086 | 968 | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 1,059 | 944 | +11.4% |
| 1985 | 951 | 847 | +3.8% |
| 1984 | 916 | 820 | +8.5% |
| 1983 | 844 | 739 | +15.6% |
| 1982 | 730 | 667 | -13.7% |
| 1981 | 846 | 768 | -0.7% |
| 1980 | 852 | 747 | -5.3% |
| 1979 | 900 | 795 | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 883 | 778 | -4.7% |
| 1977 | 927 | 807 | +15.0% |
| 1976 | 806 | 694 | -1.7% |
| 1975 | 820 | 711 | No data |
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them. 2024 is the latest year NHTSA has published; the 2024 figures are from the Annual Report File and may be revised when NHTSA releases the final file. The 2025 file is expected in spring 2027.
The deadliest roads and most dangerous highways in South Carolina
US 17 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in South Carolina from 2015 to 2024: 418, with 452 deaths. The 20 roads listed held 33% of all fatal crashes in South Carolina from 2015 to 2024; 5 are interstates, 13 US routes, 2 state highways. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (36 crashes). Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page. Every numbered road in South Carolina, ranked.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US 17 | 418 | 452 | 112 | Horry, Charleston, Berkeley |
| 2 | I-26 | 288 | 332 | 70 | Spartanburg, Lexington, Orangeburg |
| 3 | I-95 | 225 | 266 | 53 | Colleton, Clarendon, Jasper |
| 4 | US 76 | 206 | 213 | 63 | Richland, Anderson, Sumter |
| 5 | US 52 | 179 | 191 | 67 | Charleston, Berkeley, Florence |
| 6 | US 25 | 167 | 178 | 44 | Greenville, Greenwood, Aiken |
| 7 | I-20 | 159 | 173 | 41 | Richland, Lexington, Aiken |
| 8 | US 21 | 156 | 176 | 48 | Beaufort, York, Orangeburg |
| 9 | State Highway 9 | 149 | 162 | 50 | Horry, Spartanburg, Lancaster |
| 10 | I-85 | 140 | 160 | 39 | Spartanburg, Anderson, Greenville |
| 11 | US 1 | 135 | 147 | 36 | Richland, Aiken, Lexington |
| 12 | I-77 | 134 | 152 | 42 | Richland, York, Chester |
| 13 | US 29 | 134 | 144 | 44 | Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson |
| 14 | US 176 | 133 | 139 | 43 | Spartanburg, Berkeley, Richland |
| 15 | State Highway 34 | 98 | 105 | 23 | Fairfield, Kershaw, Newberry |
| 16 | US 15 | 97 | 108 | 31 | Sumter, Darlington, Marlboro |
| 17 | US 501 | 94 | 98 | 28 | Horry, Marion, Dillon |
| 18 | US 378 | 90 | 105 | 29 | Lexington, Sumter, Florence |
| 19 | US 278 | 86 | 92 | 20 | Beaufort, Aiken, Jasper |
| 20 | US 321 | 86 | 91 | 26 | Orangeburg, Lexington, Jasper |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every numbered road in South Carolina as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/south-carolina/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in South Carolina
Greenville County had the most fatal crashes in South Carolina from 2015 to 2024: 774, with 831 deaths. Greenville, Horry and Charleston counties together held 21% of fatal crashes in South Carolina from 2015 to 2024; the 20 listed held 76%. 46 counties in South Carolina recorded a fatal crash in those years; the 20 with the most are listed, with deaths per 100,000 residents where the county had 10 or more deaths in 2024.
Per resident, Jasper County has the highest rate in South Carolina: 58.5 road deaths per 100,000 residents a year from 2015 to 2024, against 20.3 for the state as a whole. Counties with fewer than 10,000 residents are hatched rather than shaded: a few crashes on a highway through a small county make a rate that says more about its population than its roads.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | Deaths per 100,000100K, 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenville County | 82 | 774 | 831 | 16.5 |
| 2 | Horry County | 57 | 669 | 714 | 14.0 |
| 3 | Charleston County | 55 | 634 | 682 | 14.2 |
| 4 | Spartanburg County | 56 | 608 | 672 | 17.9 |
| 5 | Richland County | 59 | 553 | 585 | 14.6 |
| 6 | Lexington County | 52 | 466 | 501 | 17.2 |
| 7 | Anderson County | 45 | 414 | 435 | 20.7 |
| 8 | Berkeley County | 37 | 386 | 410 | 14.0 |
| 9 | Orangeburg County | 38 | 349 | 387 | 57.7 |
| 10 | Florence County | 28 | 315 | 349 | 20.3 |
| 11 | York County | 30 | 314 | 338 | 11.2 |
| 12 | Aiken County | 27 | 303 | 321 | 16.2 |
| 13 | Sumter County | 23 | 229 | 234 | 22.0 |
| 14 | Dorchester County | 33 | 226 | 245 | 21.8 |
| 15 | Laurens County | 16 | 210 | 238 | 24.1 |
| 16 | Beaufort County | 23 | 205 | 225 | 13.4 |
| 17 | Colleton County | 16 | 194 | 215 | 43.3 |
| 18 | Darlington County | 17 | 194 | 213 | 35.2 |
| 19 | Pickens County | 20 | 185 | 203 | 15.2 |
| 20 | Jasper County | 15 | 160 | 178 | 47.7 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every county with a page as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/south-carolina/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in America: every county ranked nationally, and per resident
When fatal crashes happen in South Carolina
The heaviest slot is Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 504 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 9 pm to 10 pm; the worst month is October.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 4.0 percent, 389 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 181 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 115 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 185 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 292 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 289 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.4 percent, 138 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 181 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 140 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 210 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 298 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 253 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.1 percent, 105 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 159 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 148 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 215 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 289 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 263 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.3 percent, 127 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 174 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 150 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 229 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 290 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 299 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.4 percent, 133 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 160 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 143 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 229 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 271 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 333 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.8 percent, 174 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 190 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 173 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 226 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 344 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 389 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.7 percent, 355 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 215 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 153 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 221 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 360 fatal crashes | 5.2 percent, 504 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan7.2%
- Feb7.1%
- Mar8.2%
- Apr8.1%
- May9.1%
- Jun8.5%
- Jul8.4%
- Aug8.7%
- Sep8.3%
- Oct9.8%
- Nov8.6%
- Dec8.1%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where fatal crashes happen in South Carolina: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
59% of fatal crashes in South Carolina from 2015 to 2024 were on rural roads, above the US share of 43%; 20% happened at or near an intersection, below the US share of 25%; 37% in the dark on unlit roads, above the US share of 28%. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| South Carolina | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 59% | 43% | above the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 20% | 25% | below the US share |
| In daylight | 43% | 46% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 9.6% | 21% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 37% | 28% | above the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Who died on South Carolina roads in 2024
Vehicle occupants were 67% of the 1,038 people killed on South Carolina roads in 2024; pedestrians 15% (156), motorcyclists 15% (154), cyclists 3.3% (34).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 690 | 67% |
| Pedestrians | 156 | 15% |
| Motorcyclists | 154 | 15% |
| Cyclists | 34 | 3.3% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 4 | 0.4% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes happen in South Carolina: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
A drinking driver was recorded in 32% of fatal crashes in South Carolina from 2015 to 2024, above the US share of 26%; speeding in 40%, above the US share of 27%; a hit-and-run in 4.2%, below the US share of 6.5%; a driver recorded as distracted in 5.0%, below the US share of 8.7%; 53% of passenger-vehicle occupants killed with belt use known were unbelted, above the US share of 49%.
Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024 with the factor recorded, against the US share. "A drinking driver" is NHTSA's drinking-driver flag (police-reported drinking or any positive alcohol test), not its "alcohol-impaired" figure. "Unbelted" is the share of passenger-vehicle occupants killed whose belt use is known (6,299 in South Carolina).
| South Carolina | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 32% | 26% | above the US share |
| Speeding | 40% | 27% | above the US share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 5.0% | 8.7% | below the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 53% | 49% | above the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 4.2% | 6.5% | below the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 16% | 16% | about the same as the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What the first harmful event was
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 39%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 33%, a pedestrian in 16%, a rollover in 5.6%. What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 3,802 | 39% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 3,208 | 33% |
| Pedestrian | 1,540 | 16% |
| Rollover | 538 | 5.6% |
| Other | 272 | 2.8% |
| Cyclist | 228 | 2.4% |
| Parked vehicle | 104 | 1.1% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Vehicles in fatal crashes in South Carolina
Cars were 40% of the 14,401 vehicles in fatal crashes in South Carolina from 2015 to 2024, SUVs 19%, pickups 17%, motorcycles 11%. Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type.
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 5,759 | 40% |
| SUVs | 2,783 | 19% |
| Pickups | 2,432 | 17% |
| Motorcycles | 1,628 | 11% |
| Truck-tractors | 733 | 5.1% |
| Vans | 561 | 3.9% |
| Other trucks | 468 | 3.2% |
| Buses | 37 | 0.3% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road deaths in South Carolina per resident and per mile driven
| South Carolina | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 18.9 | 11.5 | above the US rate |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015 to 2024 | 20.3 | 11.8 | above the US rate |
| Deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, 2024 | 1.67 | 1.19 | above the US rate |
Population 5,478,831 (Census Bureau estimate, 2024); 62,042 million vehicle-miles (FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, table VM-2). The only figures on this page not counted from FARS.
Questions about fatal crashes in South Carolina
- How many people died in car accidents in South Carolina in 2024?
- 1,038 people died in 948 fatal crashes on South Carolina roads in 2024, 0.9% fewer than in 2023. That is 18.9 deaths per 100,000 residents, against 11.5 across the United States. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- What is the deadliest road in South Carolina?
- US 17 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in South Carolina from 2015 to 2024: 418, with 452 deaths. I-26 was second with 288.
- Which county in South Carolina has the most fatal crashes?
- Greenville County, with 774 fatal crashes and 831 deaths from 2015 to 2024, 82 of them in 2024.
- When do fatal crashes in South Carolina happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 504 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in South Carolina involved a drinking driver?
- 3,120 of 9,692 fatal crashes in South Carolina from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 32%, against 26% across the United States.
County pages for South Carolina
Every county in South Carolina with 30 or more fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, roads, hour and weekday, and deaths per 100,000 residents.
- Greenville County 774
- Horry County 669
- Charleston County 634
- Spartanburg County 608
- Richland County 553
- Lexington County 466
- Anderson County 414
- Berkeley County 386
- Orangeburg County 349
- Florence County 315
- York County 314
- Aiken County 303
- Sumter County 229
- Dorchester County 226
- Laurens County 210
- Beaufort County 205
- Colleton County 194
- Darlington County 194
- Pickens County 185
- Jasper County 160
- Kershaw County 152
- Lancaster County 152
- Cherokee County 149
- Georgetown County 141
- Clarendon County 137
- Oconee County 136
- Chester County 118
- Greenwood County 116
- Chesterfield County 115
- Williamsburg County 105
- Fairfield County 104
- Dillon County 100
- Marlboro County 94
- Marion County 91
- Newberry County 89
- Lee County 62
- Union County 62
- Calhoun County 60
- Hampton County 60
- Edgefield County 50
- Abbeville County 45
- Barnwell County 41
- Saluda County 39
- Bamberg County 32
Road pages for South Carolina
Every numbered road in South Carolina with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
- I-20
- I-26
- I-385
- I-77
- I-85
- I-95
- State Highway 11
- State Highway 14
- State Highway 19
- State Highway 20
- State Highway 28
- State Highway 291
- State Highway 31
- State Highway 34
- State Highway 41
- State Highway 6
- State Highway 61
- State Highway 62
- State Highway 642
- State Highway 72
- State Highway 81
- State Highway 9
- US 1
- US 123
- US 15
- US 17
- US 176
- US 178
- US 21
- US 221
- US 25
- US 276
- US 278
- US 29
- US 301
- US 321
- US 378
- US 501
- US 52
- US 521
- US 601
- US 701
- US 76
- US 78
Where the South Carolina numbers come from
Every figure on this page except the rates is counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the federal census of fatal crashes on US public roads, 2024 Annual Report File. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Road names are normalised ("I-35", "I 35" and "I-35/PURPLE HEART TRL" are the same road); frontage roads and ramps ("I35 FRONTAGE") are left out of road counts. Totals from the state highway department and news reports can differ by a few: they count from the state's own crash reports, often before every death within 30 days is known, while NHTSA's file is checked and revised once a year. Fields NHTSA coded as unknown show as "Not reported"; a share is only given over 20 crashes, otherwise "Not enough data". Rates per resident and per mile use Census Bureau population estimates and FHWA vehicle-miles, the only figures not counted from FARS. The full method.