SC has among the worst drivers in the US, new report shows. Here’s where it ranks and why

Driving in South Carolina is more dangerous than most other states, a new report shows.

According to the report by Forbes Advisor, South Carolina has the 10th worst drivers in the U.S.

Forbes Advisor compared all 50 states and Washington, D.C., across six key metrics. The analysis identifies which states have the worst drivers and provides insight on the types of dangerous driving behavior in each state. Here are some of the key metrics that earned South Carolina its ranking.

South Carolina

• 15.66 drunk drivers are involved in fatal car accidents per 100,000 licensed drivers
  
  
• 1.41 fatal car accidents involve a distracted driver per 100,000 licensed drivers
  
  
• 0.64 drowsy drivers are involved in fatal car accidents per 100,000 licensed drivers
  
  
• 0.43 drivers driving the wrong way were involved in fatal car accidents per 100,000 licensed drivers
  
  

The report states that fatal car accidents have been on the rise nationwide. More than 39,500 fatal car crashes occurred in the U.S. in 2021, a 10% increase from 2020, the report states.

According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, the state had a total of 1,198 traffic deaths in 2021, up from 1066 in 2020. South Carolina had a total of 1,092 traffic deaths in 2022.

Study methodology

Below are the six metrics used and sources of data referenced to compile the study.

• Number of drunk drivers involved in fatal car accidents per 100,000 licensed drivers. Data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  
  
• Number of fatal car accidents involving distracted drivers per 100,000 licensed drivers. Distractions include phone, talking and eating. Data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  
  
• Number of fatal car accidents involving a drowsy driver per 100,000 licensed drivers. Data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  
  
• Number of fatal car accidents involving driver who was driving the wrong way on a one-way street or on the wrong side of the road per 100,000 drivers. Data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  
  
• Number of fatal car accidents involving a driver who failed to obey traffic signs, signals or a traffic officer per 100,000 licensed drivers. Data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  
  
• Number of drivers who looked at a phone per mile. Data comes from Arity, a mobility data and analytics company.
  
  

Top 10 states with worst drivers

1. Texas
   
   
2. Louisiana
   
   
3. Kansas
   
   
4. Oklahoma
   
   
5. Kentucky
   
   
6. New Mexico
   
   
7. Wyoming
   
   
8. Arizona
   
   
9. Montana
   
   
10. South Carolina
    
    

This story was originally published May 15, 2023 at 7:00 AM.

Patrick McCreless

The State

803-771-8353

Patrick McCreless is the Southeast service journalism editor for McClatchy, who leads and edits a team of six reporters in South Carolina, Georgia and Mississippi. The team writes about trending news of the day and topics that help readers in their daily lives and better informs them about their communities. He attended Jacksonville State University in Alabama and grew up in Tuscaloosa, AL.