I-26 in South Carolina: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 288 fatal crashes on I-26 in South Carolina killed 332 people, the 2nd most of 806 numbered roads in South Carolina. In 2024 there were 22 fatal crashes and 30 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 12 counties of South Carolina. All fatal crashes in South Carolina. I-26 in every state.
Deaths on I-26 in South Carolina by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 22 | 30 |
| 2023 | 23 | 25 |
| 2022 | 25 | 25 |
| 2021 | 36 | 45 |
| 2020 | 31 | 38 |
| 2019 | 25 | 28 |
| 2018 | 42 | 45 |
| 2017 | 20 | 21 |
| 2016 | 28 | 29 |
| 2015 | 36 | 46 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-26 in South Carolina: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Spartanburg County had the most fatal crashes on I-26 from 2015 to 2024: 42, with 57 deaths. Spartanburg, Orangeburg and Lexington counties together held 42% of fatal crashes on I-26 in South Carolina from 2015 to 2024; the 10 listed held 99%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spartanburg County | 3 | 42 | 57 |
| 2 | Orangeburg County | 6 | 40 | 50 |
| 3 | Lexington County | 4 | 40 | 47 |
| 4 | Berkeley County | 2 | 34 | 38 |
| 5 | Charleston County | 1 | 32 | 33 |
| 6 | Dorchester County | 0 | 29 | 30 |
| 7 | Richland County | 1 | 23 | 24 |
| 8 | Calhoun County | 2 | 16 | 19 |
| 9 | Laurens County | 2 | 16 | 16 |
| 10 | Newberry County | 1 | 14 | 16 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on I-26 in South Carolina
The heaviest slot is Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 19 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is midnight to 1 am; 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 | 6.6 percent, 19 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 0.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.1 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 8 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 9 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 3.5 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 0.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 2.8 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 8 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 0.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.8 percent, 8 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 5.9 percent, 17 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan4.9%
- Feb6.6%
- Mar8.7%
- Apr9.7%
- May8.0%
- Jun4.9%
- Jul10.1%
- Aug10.4%
- Sep8.7%
- Oct13.5%
- Nov7.3%
- Dec7.3%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Fatal crashes per mile on I-26 in South Carolina
13 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 221 miles of I-26 in South Carolina, against 12.5 for all interstates in South Carolina. That ranks 3 of 5 interstates in South Carolina and 43 of 172 interstate pages on this site.
Mileage from the FHWA Interstate route log (table 1), the only figure here not counted from FARS. Crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle: FARS records crashes, not traffic.
What fatal crashes on I-26 in South Carolina first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 40%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 31%, a pedestrian in 10%, a rollover in 8.0%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 114 | 40% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 90 | 31% |
| Pedestrian | 29 | 10% |
| Rollover | 23 | 8.0% |
| Other | 17 | 5.9% |
| Parked vehicle | 14 | 4.9% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 0.3% |
| 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
How fatal crashes on I-26 in South Carolina compare with the state
The largest difference from South Carolina: from 2015 to 2024, 0.0% of fatal crashes on I-26 in South Carolina were at or near an intersection, against 20% across South Carolina. Also above the South Carolina share: unlit roads at night and speeding. Below it: unbelted occupants, motorcycles and pedestrians. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of South Carolina. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 288 crashes.
| I-26 | South Carolina | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 62% | 59% | about the same as the South Carolina share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.0% | 20% | below the South Carolina share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 46% | 37% | above the South Carolina share |
| A drinking driver | 29% | 32% | about the same as the South Carolina share |
| Speeding | 48% | 40% | above the South Carolina share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 5.2% | 5.0% | about the same as the South Carolina share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 42% | 53% | below the South Carolina share |
| Hit-and-run | 3.1% | 4.2% | about the same as the South Carolina share |
| A motorcycle involved | 8.7% | 16% | below the South Carolina share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 11% | 16% | below the South Carolina share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on I-26 in South Carolina
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-26 in South Carolina?
- 288 fatal crashes killed 332 people on I-26 in South Carolina from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 22 fatal crashes and 30 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-26 in South Carolina do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Spartanburg County had the most fatal crashes on I-26 from 2015 to 2024: 42, with 57 deaths. Orangeburg County was second with 40.
- When do fatal crashes on I-26 in South Carolina happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 19 fatal crashes.
- How dangerous is I-26 in South Carolina per mile?
- 13 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 221 miles of road, against 12.5 for all interstates in South Carolina. That ranks 3 of 5 interstates in South Carolina and 43 of 172 interstate pages on this site. FARS records crashes, not traffic, so this is crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle.
Other roads in South Carolina with a page
- I-20
- 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
All fatal crashes in South Carolina, with every road ranked.
Where the I-26 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-26 in South Carolina (filed under 2 spellings, such as "I-26", "i-26"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.