SC traffic deaths down so far this year, SCDPS says. Here are the counties where they’re highest

South Carolina traffic is frequently in the news, but not always for the best reasons.

The Palmetto State is notorious for dangerous driving and poor road conditions, often being a leader in fatal collisions.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in 2023, SC had 19.5 deaths per 100,000 people from car crashes. That made South Carolina the fourth-deadliest state in the country from collisions, only beaten by Mississippi, New Mexico and Wyoming.

In terms of deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, SC fared even worse, with a rate of 1.72. Mississippi was the only state to beat SC, leading the nation with a rate of 1.79.

On the bright side, so far in 2026, traffic fatalities in SC are fewer than in previous years, and by a significant amount, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety.

Here’s what the stats show:

SC crash fatalities year-over-year

Between the beginning of the year to Feb. 22, there have been 93 total fatal car crashes in 2026.

In that same time period in 2025, 125 people died on an SC road. The same number of people died in 2024 and 141 people died from a car crash in 2023.

If the numbers continue this way in 2026, SC will see its fifth consecutive year of declining traffic fatalities. After a significant increase in deaths from driving between 2017 and 2021, according to the SCDPS, this is a welcome sign of improving conditions.

Some counties are experiencing higher levels of crashes than others this year, however.

10 SC counties with most traffic deaths

The following counties all had at least one other county with the same number of car crash deaths, making rankings interchangeable. Several counties had more deaths than in previous years, such as Clarendon, Beaufort and Laurens.

• 1/2. Lexington - 8 deaths
• 1/2. Greenville - 8 deaths
• 3/4. Charleston - 6 deaths
• 3/4. Beaufort - 6 deaths
• 5/6/7/8. Spartanburg - 5 deaths
• 5/6/7/8. Berkeley - 5 deaths
• 5/6/7/8. Richland - 5 deaths
• 5/6/7/8. Clarendon - 5 deaths
• 9/10. Sumter - 4 deaths
• 9/10. Laurens - 4 deaths

How to be a safer driver

Here are quick tips to protect yourself while driving. They may save your life:

• Remember to always buckle up, as it’s the easiest way to save your life and protect yourself from injuries while driving
• While a no-brainer, you must drive without the influence of alcohol. Traffic fatalities in SC are especially high because of drunk drivers
• Pay attention to the road and put down the phone. Driving safely requires your full attention
• Never drive drowsy. If you feel tired and wonder how long you can keep driving, you should pull over and wake yourself up
• Share the road responsibly. There are others around you, and not all of them are driving cars. Bicyclists and motorcyclists can easily end up in your blind spot, so make sure to look all around you before making a turn.

If you see something, say something. Call 911 immediately if you see a car collision while driving. Remain calm and tell the operative what happened.