Fatal Roads

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South Carolina · county

Marion County

Residents 28,368Deaths 2024 14Deaths 2015–2024 101Latest 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.

Marion County, South Carolina, recorded 14 deaths in 12 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 101 deaths in 91 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 28,368 residents, that is 33.7 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 66% higher than the South Carolina rate of 20.3 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 8% from 110 in 2005–2014 to 101 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 50.5% against 40.2% for South Carolina.

36% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Tuesday was the most common day (20%).

14deaths in 202412 fatal crashes
52deaths, 2020–2024101 over ten years
33.7per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 49.4
+66%vs South Carolina ratestate 20.3 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01020197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 14 deaths1976: 14 deaths1977: 16 deaths1978: 6 deaths1979: 6 deaths1980: 12 deaths1981: 17 deaths1982: 12 deaths1983: 15 deaths1984: 13 deaths1985: 17 deaths1986: 13 deaths1987: 19 deaths1988: 18 deaths1989: 8 deaths1990: 16 deaths1991: 10 deaths1992: 6 deaths1993: 5 deaths1994: 12 deaths1995: 9 deaths1996: 20 deaths1997: 5 deaths1998: 16 deaths1999: 16 deaths2000: 10 deaths2001: 18 deaths2002: 18 deaths2003: 14 deaths2004: 10 deaths2005: 12 deaths2006: 13 deaths2007: 15 deaths2008: 14 deaths2009: 12 deaths2010: 14 deaths2011: 4 deaths2012: 9 deaths2013: 8 deaths2014: 9 deaths2015: 11 deaths2016: 9 deaths2017: 8 deaths2018: 10 deaths2019: 11 deaths2020: 10 deaths2021: 9 deaths2022: 6 deaths2023: 13 deaths2024: 14 deaths
People killed in crashes in Marion County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 14 deaths.

Ten-year total down 8% (110 in 2005–2014, 101 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

MeasureMarionSouth CarolinaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202433.720.311.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202449.418.911.5
Deaths, 2015–202410110,473389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024919,692358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-8%+15%+7%
Crashes on rural roads89%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 28,368 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking18.7%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver50.5%
Pedestriansshare of people killed14.9%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed11.9%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used57.1%
In darknesscrashes after dark49.5%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads89%

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 Marion County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 91 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Tuesday20%
Friday16%
Saturday16%
Sunday15%
Wednesday14%
Monday11%
Thursday7%

Light condition

Daylight45%
Dark, not lighted40%
Dark, lighted8%
Dusk3%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown2%

Road type

Other principal arterial46%
Minor arterial32%
Major collector13%
Other freeways and expressways3%
Local3%
Minor collector2%
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%
Cloudy10%
Rain4%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Marion

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 501US highway22959915%23%
2State Route 41State highway15677325%45%
3US Route 76US highway1320421134%33%
4US Route 378US highway58910423%29%
5State Route 9State highway315016324%35%
6State Route 31State highway2546033%44%
7State Route 45State highway2313555%68%
8US Route 278US highway1869224%30%
9State Route 20State highway1747637%46%
10State Route 19State highway1556131%42%

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
20241214049.4SC 2024
20239131–245.8SC 2023
202266021.2SC 2022
202189331.7SC 2021
2020910335.3SC 2020
20191111438.8SC 2019
2018910035.3SC 2018
201778028.2SC 2017
2016991–231.7SC 2016
20151111438.8SC 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 Marion County, South Carolina?

14 people died in 12 fatal crashes in 2024; 52 over 2020–2024 and 101 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Marion compare with South Carolina?

33.7 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 Marion involved alcohol?

18.7% 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 50.5%.

Which roads in Marion see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 501 (22 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 41 (15 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 76 (13 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Marion?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (36% of crashes) and on Tuesdays (20%); 49.5% 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.