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South Carolina · county

Sumter County

Residents 104,776Deaths 2024 23Deaths 2015–2024 234Latest 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.

Sumter County, South Carolina, recorded 23 deaths in 23 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 234 deaths in 229 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 104,776 residents, that is 22.1 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 was about level between 2005–2014 (227) and 2015–2024 (234).

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 38.9% against 32.2% for South Carolina.

31% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Sunday was the most common day (19%).

23deaths in 202423 fatal crashes
139deaths, 2020–2024234 over ten years
22.1per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 22.0
+9%vs South Carolina ratestate 20.3 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01733197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 23 deaths1976: 27 deaths1977: 28 deaths1978: 17 deaths1979: 28 deaths1980: 23 deaths1981: 19 deaths1982: 14 deaths1983: 21 deaths1984: 26 deaths1985: 21 deaths1986: 31 deaths1987: 31 deaths1988: 17 deaths1989: 30 deaths1990: 19 deaths1991: 33 deaths1992: 20 deaths1993: 23 deaths1994: 14 deaths1995: 19 deaths1996: 28 deaths1997: 25 deaths1998: 20 deaths1999: 17 deaths2000: 20 deaths2001: 21 deaths2002: 27 deaths2003: 32 deaths2004: 25 deaths2005: 24 deaths2006: 28 deaths2007: 21 deaths2008: 27 deaths2009: 24 deaths2010: 20 deaths2011: 23 deaths2012: 17 deaths2013: 17 deaths2014: 26 deaths2015: 20 deaths2016: 20 deaths2017: 18 deaths2018: 15 deaths2019: 22 deaths2020: 25 deaths2021: 31 deaths2022: 30 deaths2023: 30 deaths2024: 23 deaths
People killed in crashes in Sumter County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 23 deaths.

Ten-year total up 3% (227 in 2005–2014, 234 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

MeasureSumterSouth CarolinaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202422.120.311.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202422.018.911.5
Deaths, 2015–202423410,473389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20242299,692358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.01.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+3%+15%+7%
Crashes on rural roads52%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 104,776 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking38.9%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver38%
Pedestriansshare of people killed15%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed16.2%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used60.7%
In darknesscrashes after dark48.5%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads51.5%

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 Sumter County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 229 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Sunday19%
Saturday18%
Friday16%
Wednesday14%
Tuesday12%
Thursday11%
Monday10%

Light condition

Daylight47%
Dark, not lighted33%
Dark, lighted8%
Dark, lighting unknown7%
Dawn4%
Dusk0%

Road type

Other principal arterial41%
Minor arterial26%
Major collector15%
Local7%
Other freeways and expressways5%
Interstate3%
Minor collector3%

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

Clear84%
Rain7%
Cloudy7%
Fog, smog or smoke3%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Sumter

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 76US highway2920421134%33%
2US Route 15US highway299911033%35%
3US Route 378US highway218910423%29%
4US Route 521US highway20758431%31%
5State Route 53State highway10323734%41%
6Interstate 95Interstate822826916%52%
7State Route 40State highway6212248%62%
8State Route 33State highway5343435%59%
9State Route 261State highway5272830%33%
10State Route 81State highway3485213%27%

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
202423231022.0SC 2024
202330301028.6SC 2023
202230301228.6SC 2022
202129311329.6SC 2021
20202325723.9SC 2020
20192222821.0SC 2019
20181515614.3SC 2018
20171818517.2SC 2017
201619201119.1SC 2016
20152020719.1SC 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 Sumter County, South Carolina?

23 people died in 23 fatal crashes in 2024; 139 over 2020–2024 and 234 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Sumter compare with South Carolina?

22.1 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 Sumter involved alcohol?

38.9% 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 alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 38.9%.

Which roads in Sumter see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 76 (29 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 15 (29 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 378 (21 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Sumter?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (31% of crashes) and on Sundays (19%); 48.5% 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.