Driving is inherently risky, no matter where you live in South Carolina. While some areas see more accidents, injuries, or deaths than others, crashes affect people in all corners of the Palmetto State. Analyzing recent South Carolina car accident statistics provides an idea of what causes these collisions, how to prevent them, and who is responsible for them.
The Pee Dee Area and Grand Strand car accident lawyers at Jebaily Law Firm are committed to helping injured people in South Carolina rebuild their lives after crashes caused by other motorists. We have over 50 years of experience fighting for injured individuals, and our past clients have recovered millions of dollars with our help. We do not believe in cookie-cutter legal solutions and can devise a strategy that fits your needs and circumstances.
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How Many Car Accidents Happen in South Carolina Each Year?
One reliable source of South Carolina car accident statistics is the South Carolina Department of Public Safety. According to the SCDPS’s most recent report, 145,761 collisions occurred statewide during a single recent year. That total includes:
- 976 fatal accidents, resulting in 1,047 deaths
- 2,041 collisions with serious injuries, leading to 2,488 car accident victims suffering severe harm
- 32,616 collisions with minor injuries, though the total number of people with minor injuries was 49,150
- 110,128 collisions that caused only property damage
What Causes Car Accidents to Happen So Frequently?
The SCDPS reports that in one recent year, there was a crash somewhere in South Carolina every 3.6 minutes, on average. The figure comes from dividing the number of overall crashes by the number of minutes in a year. The statistic gives you an idea of how common car accidents are in South Carolina.
One reason car accidents are so common in South Carolina is the sheer number of people and cars on the road. SCDPS officials report that there are over 5.1 million vehicles registered in South Carolina, and if only a fraction of those drivers are careless, many crashes can result.
Furthermore, South Carolina sees a lot of tourist traffic from neighboring states. Non-locals do not know the area or local roads, making crashes more likely.
Driver errors are far and away the leading cause of South Carolina car accidents. South Carolina drivers could save many lives by being more careful behind the wheel and avoiding mistakes like speeding, distracted driving, and drunk driving.
Driver Factors Contributing to South Carolina Car Accidents
The SCDPS reports that driver errors are the leading cause of fatal crashes (80 percent) and non-fatal crashes (almost 92 percent) in South Carolina. The top driver errors and driver behaviors that cause car accidents include:
- Driving too fast for road conditions – A total of 37,890 crashes in one recent year involved drivers who were going too fast for road conditions. That does not necessarily mean they were breaking the speed limit, but it does mean they were not accounting for rain, heavy traffic, low visibility, and other factors that make collisions more likely.
- Failing to yield the right-of-way – After speeding, failing to yield the right-of-way when required is the leading cause of South Carolina car accidents. In total, 30,290 accidents occurred because drivers failed to yield the right-of-way, which covers everything from not stopping at intersections to not obeying traffic signs and signals to drivers not watching for pedestrians or cyclists at street corners.
- Unsafe lane changes or lane usage – In one recent year, 13,549 accidents happened because drivers made errors when changing lanes or in their use of lanes.
- Distracted driving – Distracted drivers were involved in 9,067 crashes during one recent year. Paying attention behind the wheel is crucial for keeping everyone on the road safe.
- Tailgating – A total of 9,069 collisions in one recent year involved drivers who were following too closely, preventing them from stopping in time to avoid rear-end collisions with traffic in front of them.
Where Do Most Car Accidents with Injuries or Deaths Happen in South Carolina?
As you might expect, there is considerable overlap among the counties with the most total collisions, injury collisions, and fatal collisions. According to SCDPS researchers, the top five counties for each of those categories are:
Overall Collisions
- Greenville County – 16,640 traffic collisions
- Charleston County – 16,118 traffic collisions
- Richland County – 12,450 traffic collisions
- Horry County – 11,109 traffic collisions
- Spartanburg County – 11,002 traffic collisions
Injury Collisions
- Charleston County – 3,784 injury collisions
- Greenville County – 3,551 injury collisions
- Horry County – 2,877 injury collisions
- Richland County – 2,788 injury collisions
- Spartanburg County – 2,399 injury collisions
Fatal Collisions
- Greenville County – 71 fatal collisions
- Spartanburg County – 71 fatal collisions
- Charleston County – 70 fatal collisions
- Horry County – 64 fatal collisions
- Richland County – 58 fatal collisions
Which Age Groups Are Most Frequently Involved in SC Car Crashes?
The age group with the highest number of crashes in South Carolina is drivers aged 20-24 (30,914 accidents). Drivers aged 20-24 were also involved in the largest number of fatal collisions in one recent year (155 accidents).
The one area where drivers aged 20-24 were not the leading group was auto accidents with severe injuries. Drivers aged 30-34 took the lead in that category, with 389 accidents reported.
South Carolina Road Fatalities: Insights from IIHS Reports
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) compares car accident deaths and other figures among every state each year to help regulators and others try to reduce the toll of these tragic incidents. According to the most recent report, South Carolina is one of the most dangerous states in terms of fatal car accidents.
The IIHS reports that South Carolina saw 1,047 traffic fatalities, or 1.72 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. Only Arizona (1.73) and Mississippi (1.79) posted worse figures for deaths per 100 million vehicle miles. The nationwide average was 1.26 deaths per 100 million miles.
Schedule Your Free Consultation with a Car Accident Attorney in South Carolina
No matter where an accident occurred or the extent of your injuries, the South Carolina auto accident attorneys at Jebaily Law Firm are ready to help you. Call us now or complete our contact form for a free consultation about your potential car accident claim.
