Fatal Roads

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South Carolina · county

Greenwood County

Residents 70,041Deaths 2024 5Deaths 2015–2024 124Latest 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.

In 2024, the latest year in FARS, Greenwood County (South Carolina) had 5 fatal crashes with 5 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 116 fatal crashes and 124 deaths.

With 70,041 residents, that is 17.7 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the South Carolina rate of 20.3 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 38% from 90 in 2005–2014 to 124 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 20.2% against 15.4% for South Carolina.

34% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Saturday was the most common day (21%).

5deaths in 20245 fatal crashes
65deaths, 2020–2024124 over ten years
17.7per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 7.1
-13%vs South Carolina ratestate 20.3 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01122197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 12 deaths1976: 11 deaths1977: 16 deaths1978: 13 deaths1979: 19 deaths1980: 9 deaths1981: 18 deaths1982: 12 deaths1983: 10 deaths1984: 17 deaths1985: 6 deaths1986: 12 deaths1987: 13 deaths1988: 18 deaths1989: 10 deaths1990: 21 deaths1991: 11 deaths1992: 9 deaths1993: 20 deaths1994: 9 deaths1995: 19 deaths1996: 12 deaths1997: 13 deaths1998: 13 deaths1999: 6 deaths2000: 13 deaths2001: 11 deaths2002: 22 deaths2003: 11 deaths2004: 7 deaths2005: 16 deaths2006: 6 deaths2007: 10 deaths2008: 7 deaths2009: 12 deaths2010: 5 deaths2011: 11 deaths2012: 10 deaths2013: 6 deaths2014: 7 deaths2015: 11 deaths2016: 12 deaths2017: 10 deaths2018: 20 deaths2019: 6 deaths2020: 20 deaths2021: 11 deaths2022: 13 deaths2023: 16 deaths2024: 5 deaths
People killed in crashes in Greenwood County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 5 deaths.

Ten-year total up 38% (90 in 2005–2014, 124 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

MeasureGreenwoodSouth CarolinaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202417.720.311.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20247.118.911.5
Deaths, 2015–202412410,473389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241169,692358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+38%+15%+7%
Crashes on rural roads57%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 70,041 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking37.9%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver38.8%
Pedestriansshare of people killed16.9%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed20.2%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used56.5%
In darknesscrashes after dark58.6%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads56.9%

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 Greenwood County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 116 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday21%
Thursday19%
Monday14%
Sunday13%
Tuesday13%
Friday12%
Wednesday9%

Light condition

Dark, not lighted45%
Daylight38%
Dark, lighted13%
Dawn3%
Dark, lighting unknown1%
Dusk0%

Road type

Other principal arterial38%
Minor arterial31%
Major collector16%
Local9%
Other freeways and expressways3%
Minor collector3%
Interstate0%

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

Clear85%
Rain7%
Cloudy6%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Greenwood

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 25US highway2717018121%21%
2US Route 221US highway11768929%33%
3State Route 34State highway79810538%42%
4State Route 72State highway6687743%50%
5State Route 97State highway4292924%52%
6State Route 50State highway4242433%54%
7State Route 39State highway3343750%50%
8US Route 178US highway2768534%41%
9State Route 29State highway1444634%32%
10State Route 101State highway1414549%49%

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
2024551–27.1SC 2024
20231516722.8SC 2023
20221313818.6SC 2022
20211011515.7SC 2021
20201820428.6SC 2020
2019561–28.6SC 2019
20181820428.6SC 2018
2017910414.3SC 2017
20161212417.1SC 2016
20151111615.7SC 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 Greenwood County, South Carolina?

5 people died in 5 fatal crashes in 2024; 65 over 2020–2024 and 124 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Greenwood compare with South Carolina?

17.7 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 Greenwood involved alcohol?

37.9% 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 motorcyclists at 20.2%.

Which roads in Greenwood see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 25 (27 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 221 (11 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 34 (7 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Greenwood?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (34% of crashes) and on Saturdays (21%); 58.6% 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.