States › South Carolina › 2016

2016

South Carolina in 2016

Deaths 1,020Fatal crashes 941Per 100,000 20.6US deaths 37,806

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. Final FARS file for 2016.

In 2016, 1,020 people died in 941 fatal crashes in South Carolina, 20.6 deaths per 100,000 residents against 11.7 nationally.

The death toll was about level between 2015 (979) and 2016 (1,020).

South Carolina accounted for 2.7% of the 37,806 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

34.1% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

By FHWA road function class, the largest share was on minor arterial roads (41%).

33% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

← 201520162017 →All years

Compared with 2015 and the nation

Measure	South Carolina 2016	South Carolina 2015	United States 2016
Deaths	1,020	979	37,806
Fatal crashes	941	911	34,748
Deaths per 100,000 residents	20.6	20.0	11.7
Crashes with a drinking driver	34%	32%	27%

Counties in 2016

Every county with a fatal crash in 2016, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 46 counties listed.

County	Fatal crashes	Deaths	Per 100,000	Deaths 2015–2024
Greenville County	81	87	15.2	831
Horry County	62	70	16.9	714
Richland County	64	69	16.0	585
Anderson County	51	57	26.2	435
Charleston County	50	54	12.5	682
Spartanburg County	48	54	14.6	672
Lexington County	39	43	13.7	501
Aiken County	35	37	20.6	321
York County	34	36	11.9	338
Berkeley County	33	34	12.9	410
Dorchester County	29	32	18.3	245
Beaufort County	29	30	14.9	225
Orangeburg County	29	30	36.1	387
Florence County	29	29	21.0	349
Jasper County	22	25	70.2	178
Darlington County	22	24	38.4	213
Colleton County	19	24	61.1	215
Clarendon County	20	21	67.7	146
Laurens County	20	21	29.8	238
Sumter County	19	20	19.1	234
Pickens County	17	19	13.7	203
Kershaw County	16	18	25.1	167
Chester County	14	18	55.7	135
Williamsburg County	16	17	56.9	114
Lancaster County	13	14	12.5	167
Greenwood County	12	12	17.1	124
Dillon County	11	11	39.9	112
Oconee County	11	11	13.3	142
Calhoun County	9	10	70.2	67
Fairfield County	9	10	49.1	113
Chesterfield County	9	9	20.2	118
Marion County	9	9	31.7	101
Marlboro County	7	9	35.3	103
Union County	6	7	26.2	71
Bamberg County	5	7	54.4	35
Georgetown County	6	6	9.1	150
Newberry County	6	6	15.3	95
Barnwell County	5	5	24.4	47
Cherokee County	5	5	8.7	160
Lee County	5	5	31.3	64
Abbeville County	4	4	16.3	48
McCormick County	4	4	40.1	32
Edgefield County	3	3	10.2	52
Allendale County	1–2	1–2	—	28
Hampton County	1–2	1–2	—	64
Saluda County	1–2	1–2	—	42

Per 100,000 uses the 2024 population estimate for every year, so early-year rates are understated where a county has grown.

Hour of day

12am4.3%

1am3.8%

2am4.7%

3am3.7%

4am3.5%

5am3.6%

6am3.1%

7am3.2%

8am1.9%

9am3.2%

10am2.7%

11am3.3%

12pm3.7%

1pm3.4%

2pm3.5%

3pm4.8%

4pm3.9%

5pm6.9%

6pm6.5%

7pm5.4%

8pm6.1%

9pm5.3%

10pm5.4%

11pm4.1%

Weekday

Sunday15%

Monday12%

Tuesday12%

Wednesday13%

Thursday15%

Friday13%

Saturday20%

Road type

Minor arterial41%

Other principal arterial31%

Interstate10%

Local9%

Major collector4%

Other freeways and expressways3%

Minor collector2%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in South Carolina in 2016?

1,020 people in 941 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 2016 file, or 20.6 per 100,000 residents.

Which county in South Carolina had the most crash deaths in 2016?

Greenville County with 87 deaths in 81 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 2016 compare with 2015 in South Carolina?

1,020 deaths against 979 in 2015 (+4%). Nationally the 2016 total was 37,806.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2016 national file (accident table, vehicle and person tables); US Census Bureau population estimates. Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026.