Not using safety measures accounts for a significant number of fatalities. Of the people who had access to seat belts, 49.9 percent of fatality victims weren’t wearing them. Similarly, 53.4 percent of motorcycle fatality victims weren’t wearing a helmet. In all, one unrestrained motor vehicle occupant was killed every 22.3 hours.
Out-of-State Drivers in SC Auto Accidents![south carolina crashes]()
With popular destinations like Myrtle Beach and Charleston, the Palmetto States attracts a fair share of visitors—and they may not be familiar with local roads and highways. The SC Department of Public Safety reports that out-of-state drivers make up 13.9 percent of drivers in traffic collisions. More than half (51.9 percent) are from North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
Vehicles in Collisions Resulting in Deaths
Unsurprisingly, the most common vehicles on South Carolina highways are the ones heavily involved in collisions resulting in fatalities. Here’s the breakout of recorded fatal crashes:
- Automobile: 645 collisions
- SUV: 361 collisions
- Pickup truck: 295 collisions
- Pedestrian: 194 collisions
- Motorcycle: 166 collisions
- Truck tractor/semi: 99 collisions
In 2021, no fatal accidents involved a train or a school bus crash. But, five passenger buses were involved in fatal collisions.
Primary Contributing Factors
The most common variable in fatal collisions is the driver. This is according to the Uniform Traffic Collisions Report Form (TR-310) completed by the investigating officer. Be sure to get a copy of this police report after a South Carolina car crash. In fatal collisions, the primary contributing factor was:
- Driver: 82.73 percent
- Non-motorist: 15.20 percent
- Vehicle defect: 1.17 percent
- Environmental: 0.63 percent
- Roadway: 0.27 percent
As you can see, road and environmental conditions are rarely the primary causes of a crash in South Carolina. Of all the fatal collisions, 84.7 percent were on a dry road surface, 83.6 percent were in clear weather, and 70.6 percent were on a straight and level road.
Of the fatal accidents where the driver was primarily to blame, the actions that led to the crash were:
- Driving too fast for conditions: 265 accidents
- Driving under the influence: 233 accidents
- Failing to yield the right of way: 124 accidents
- Wrong side or wrong way: 65 accidents
- Disregarded signs or signals: 40 accidents
- Aggressive operation of the vehicle: 36 accidents
Troubling Rising Trend in Vehicle Collisions
One of the most alarming revelations from the report is an overall rising trend in collisions, including fatal car crashes, across the state. When compared to 2020, the stats for 2021 include:
- Total collisions increased 21.8 percent
- Traffic fatalities increased 12.4 percent
- Pedestrian deaths increased 3.7 percent
- Cyclist deaths increased 43.8 percent
- Motorcycle fatalities increased 45.5 percent
- Mileage death rate (MDR) increased 5.1 percent
Fatal Crashes in South Carolina vs. Other States
Putting these figures into perspective is equally troubling. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) published a state-by-state comparison of fatality facts. This includes looking at accidents per capita and per million vehicle miles traveled.
There were 39,508 fatal motor vehicle crashes in the United States in 2021 in which 42,939 deaths occurred. This resulted in 12.9 deaths per 100,000 people and 1.37 deaths per 100 million miles traveled. The fatality rate per 100,000 people ranged from 5.7 in Rhode Island to 26.2 in Mississippi. The death rate per 100 million miles traveled ranged from 0.71 in Massachusetts to 2.08 in South Carolina.
Top Fatality Rates Per Capita
South Carolina is second only to Mississippi when comparing the number of deaths from vehicle collisions per 100,000 people. With a national average of 12.9, six states have a fatality rate of over 20:
- Mississippi: 26.2
- South Carolina: 23.1
- Arkansas: 22.9
- New Mexico: 22.7
- Montana: 21.6
- Louisiana: 21.0
South Carolina Has the Highest MDR in the Country
The MDR looks at the number of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. South Carolina tops the list as the only state above 2.0—it’s more than 50 percent over the national average of 1.37. Here’s how some other states compare:
- South Carolina: 2.08
- Arkansas: 1.80
- Florida: 1.72
- Louisiana: 1.78
- Mississippi: 1.89
- Montana: 1.77
- New Mexico: 1.79
- Oklahoma: 1.70
The vehicle types involved in South Carolina fatal accidents are in line with national averages. But, DUI fatalities represent a larger percentage in South Carolina compared to the rest of the country. In South Carolina, 38 percent of fatal crashes involve a blood alcohol content reading over 0.08, compared to 30 percent nationwide.
