Fatal Roads

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South Carolina · county

Clarendon County

Residents 31,030Deaths 2024 9Deaths 2015–2024 146Latest data year 2024

FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024. Figures are aggregates from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System; no individual crash is identified.

Clarendon County, South Carolina, recorded 9 deaths in 9 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 146 deaths in 137 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 31,030 residents, that is 44.9 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 2.2 times the South Carolina rate of 20.3 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll was about level between 2005–2014 (152) and 2015–2024 (146).

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 53.3% against 40.2% for South Carolina.

29% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (19%).

9deaths in 20249 fatal crashes
59deaths, 2020–2024146 over ten years
44.9per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 29.0
+121%vs South Carolina ratestate 20.3 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01428197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 15 deaths1976: 7 deaths1977: 12 deaths1978: 11 deaths1979: 10 deaths1980: 6 deaths1981: 8 deaths1982: 9 deaths1983: 9 deaths1984: 4 deaths1985: 10 deaths1986: 26 deaths1987: 14 deaths1988: 14 deaths1989: 19 deaths1990: 13 deaths1991: 16 deaths1992: 16 deaths1993: 4 deaths1994: 4 deaths1995: 26 deaths1996: 19 deaths1997: 13 deaths1998: 15 deaths1999: 14 deaths2000: 20 deaths2001: 18 deaths2002: 20 deaths2003: 15 deaths2004: 15 deaths2005: 18 deaths2006: 28 deaths2007: 12 deaths2008: 13 deaths2009: 21 deaths2010: 12 deaths2011: 15 deaths2012: 12 deaths2013: 11 deaths2014: 10 deaths2015: 17 deaths2016: 21 deaths2017: 19 deaths2018: 15 deaths2019: 15 deaths2020: 9 deaths2021: 10 deaths2022: 15 deaths2023: 16 deaths2024: 9 deaths
People killed in crashes in Clarendon County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 9 deaths.

Ten-year total down 4% (152 in 2005–2014, 146 in 2015–2024). The shaded band is the ten-year window used for rates and shares. County codes are matched to today's Census county list; a few historic code changes are merged.

Compared with South Carolina and the nation

MeasureClarendonSouth CarolinaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202444.920.311.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202429.018.911.5
Deaths, 2015–202414610,473389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241379,692358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-4%+15%+7%
Crashes on rural roads99%59%43%

Rates divide deaths by Census Bureau population estimates for each year (residents, not road users; through traffic on major routes raises the rate of small counties). Population 31,030 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking28.5%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver53.3%
Pedestriansshare of people killed10.3%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed6.2%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used51.8%
In darknesscrashes after dark48.9%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads98.5%

tick marks the South Carolina share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

"Alcohol" counts crashes where police reported at least one driver as drinking (FARS DR_DRINK), not the BAC-based alcohol-impaired measure NHTSA publishes separately. "Speeding" counts crashes with a driver coded as racing, exceeding the limit or too fast for conditions. Details in the methodology. Factor pages: alcohol, speeding, pedestrians, motorcycles, unrestrained occupants.

Time of day and day of week

12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Clarendon County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 137 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday19%
Thursday18%
Friday18%
Sunday16%
Monday14%
Wednesday8%
Tuesday7%

Light condition

Daylight45%
Dark, not lighted41%
Dark, lighted4%
Dawn4%
Dark, lighting unknown4%
Dusk3%

Road type

Interstate31%
Minor arterial22%
Other principal arterial20%
Major collector17%
Local8%
Minor collector1%
Other freeways and expressways0%

FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the South Carolina share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.

Weather

Clear82%
Rain12%
Cloudy5%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Clarendon

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 95Interstate4322826916%52%
2US Route 301US highway13859428%32%
3State Route 261State highway8272830%33%
4US Route 521US highway7758431%31%
5US Route 15US highway59911033%35%
6US Route 378US highway38910423%29%
7State Route 64State highway3363922%31%
8State Route 18State highway3242529%33%
9State Route 41State highway2677325%45%
10State Route 49State highway2555944%31%

Signed routes (Interstate, US and state highways) that have a page on this site, ranked by fatal crashes in this county over 2015–2024; "fatal crashes" and "deaths" columns are the statewide totals for the route. Local streets and county roads are not listed.

By year, 2015–2024

YearFatal crashesDeathsDrinking-driver crashesPer 100,000
202499329.0SC 2024
202315161–251.6SC 2023
20221215448.3SC 2022
202110101–232.2SC 2021
202099329.0SC 2020
20191315648.3SC 2019
20181415448.3SC 2018
20171819461.2SC 2017
20162021567.7SC 2016
20151717654.8SC 2015

Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule). Per-100,000 uses the 2024 population for every year in this table; the ten-year rate above uses each year's estimate.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Clarendon County, South Carolina?

9 people died in 9 fatal crashes in 2024; 59 over 2020–2024 and 146 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Clarendon compare with South Carolina?

44.9 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 20.3 for South Carolina and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Clarendon involved alcohol?

28.5% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 32.2% in South Carolina. The factor furthest above the state share was speeding at 53.3%.

Which roads in Clarendon see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 95 (43 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 301 (13 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 261 (8 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Clarendon?

Most often between noon to 6pm (29% of crashes) and on Saturdays (19%); 48.9% happened after dark.

Where does this data come from?

NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files (1975–2024) and Census Bureau county population estimates. Figures are aggregates; no individual crash is identified. See the methodology page for definitions.

Provenance

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, annual national CSV files 1975–2024 (accident table for every year; vehicle and person tables for 2015–2024), public domain. Population: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals (vintages 2000–2010, 2010–2020 and 2020–2024). Data through 31 Dec 2024; page generated 30 Sep 2026. Processing errors are corrected at the next build; see corrections and sources.