US 17 in South Carolina: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 418 fatal crashes on US 17 in South Carolina killed 452 people, the most of any numbered road in South Carolina. In 2024 there were 39 fatal crashes and 41 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 9 counties of South Carolina. All fatal crashes in South Carolina.
Deaths on US 17 in South Carolina by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 39 | 41 |
| 2023 | 36 | 38 |
| 2022 | 37 | 42 |
| 2021 | 48 | 54 |
| 2020 | 40 | 47 |
| 2019 | 39 | 39 |
| 2018 | 38 | 38 |
| 2017 | 49 | 55 |
| 2016 | 44 | 45 |
| 2015 | 48 | 53 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 17 in South Carolina: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Horry County had the most fatal crashes on US 17 from 2015 to 2024: 121, with 129 deaths. Horry, Charleston and Berkeley counties together held 68% of fatal crashes on US 17 in South Carolina from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Horry County | 7 | 121 | 129 |
| 2 | Charleston County | 11 | 112 | 121 |
| 3 | Berkeley County | 3 | 51 | 55 |
| 4 | Georgetown County | 6 | 45 | 46 |
| 5 | Dorchester County | 6 | 29 | 34 |
| 6 | Jasper County | 1 | 26 | 31 |
| 7 | Colleton County | 3 | 21 | 23 |
| 8 | Beaufort County | 2 | 12 | 12 |
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 US 17 in South Carolina
The heaviest slot is Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 25 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 8 pm to 9 pm; the worst month is March.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 4.1 percent, 17 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 20 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.9 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 17 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 15 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.7 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 16 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.4 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 8 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.7 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 18 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.2 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 18 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.3 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 16 fatal crashes | 6.0 percent, 25 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan4.1%
- Feb5.5%
- Mar12.4%
- Apr6.9%
- May9.1%
- Jun8.6%
- Jul7.9%
- Aug7.4%
- Sep7.7%
- Oct11.5%
- Nov10.5%
- Dec8.4%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on US 17 in South Carolina first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 52%; a pedestrian in 25%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 13%, a rollover in 4.5%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 219 | 52% |
| Pedestrian | 104 | 25% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 56 | 13% |
| Rollover | 19 | 4.5% |
| Cyclist | 15 | 3.6% |
| Other | 4 | 1.0% |
| Parked vehicle | 1 | 0.2% |
| 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 US 17 in South Carolina compare with the state
The largest difference from South Carolina: from 2015 to 2024, 41% of fatal crashes on US 17 in South Carolina were on rural roads, against 59% across South Carolina. Also above the South Carolina share: intersections and pedestrians. Below it: unlit roads at night, drinking drivers, speeding and unbelted occupants. 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 418 crashes.
| US 17 | South Carolina | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 41% | 59% | below the South Carolina share |
| At or near an intersection | 32% | 20% | above the South Carolina share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 27% | 37% | below the South Carolina share |
| A drinking driver | 23% | 32% | below the South Carolina share |
| Speeding | 24% | 40% | below the South Carolina share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 5.0% | 5.0% | about the same as the South Carolina share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 46% | 53% | below the South Carolina share |
| Hit-and-run | 4.5% | 4.2% | about the same as the South Carolina share |
| A motorcycle involved | 19% | 16% | about the same as the South Carolina share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 24% | 16% | above 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 US 17 in South Carolina
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 17 in South Carolina?
- 418 fatal crashes killed 452 people on US 17 in South Carolina from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 39 fatal crashes and 41 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 17 in South Carolina do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Horry County had the most fatal crashes on US 17 from 2015 to 2024: 121, with 129 deaths. Charleston County was second with 112.
- When do fatal crashes on US 17 in South Carolina happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 25 fatal crashes.
Other roads in South Carolina with a page
- 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
All fatal crashes in South Carolina, with every road ranked.
Where the US 17 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 17 in South Carolina (filed under 35 spellings, such as "US- 17 COUNTY LINE RD", "US- 17 S HWY 17", "US-17", "US-17 A HWY"). 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.