States › South Carolina › 2018

2018

South Carolina in 2018

Deaths 1,036Fatal crashes 969Per 100,000 20.3US deaths 36,835

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 2018.

In 2018, 1,036 people died in 969 fatal crashes in South Carolina, 20.3 deaths per 100,000 residents against 11.3 nationally.

The death toll rose 5% from 989 in 2017 to 1,036 in 2018.

South Carolina accounted for 2.8% of the 36,835 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

27.2% 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 (42%).

35% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

← 201720182019 →All years

Compared with 2017 and the nation

Measure	South Carolina 2018	South Carolina 2017	United States 2018
Deaths	1,036	989	36,835
Fatal crashes	969	925	33,919
Deaths per 100,000 residents	20.3	19.7	11.3
Crashes with a drinking driver	27%	33%	26%

Counties in 2018

Every county with a fatal crash in 2018, 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	69	77	13.5	831
Spartanburg County	68	73	19.8	672
Horry County	67	71	17.2	714
Lexington County	60	68	21.7	501
Charleston County	61	66	15.3	682
Richland County	49	50	11.6	585
Anderson County	42	44	20.3	435
Florence County	40	43	31.1	349
Orangeburg County	35	39	46.9	387
York County	34	35	11.6	338
Berkeley County	34	34	12.9	410
Laurens County	28	32	45.4	238
Aiken County	25	25	13.9	321
Dorchester County	23	23	13.2	245
Pickens County	22	23	16.6	203
Colleton County	21	22	56.0	215
Beaufort County	21	21	10.4	225
Greenwood County	18	20	28.6	124
Darlington County	16	19	30.4	213
Cherokee County	18	18	31.2	160
Kershaw County	14	17	23.7	167
Georgetown County	16	16	24.2	150
Oconee County	15	16	19.4	142
Sumter County	15	15	14.3	234
Clarendon County	14	15	48.3	146
Lancaster County	13	13	11.6	167
Chesterfield County	12	12	27.0	118
Fairfield County	11	12	58.9	113
Williamsburg County	11	12	40.2	114
Jasper County	11	11	30.9	178
Dillon County	9	11	39.9	112
Marion County	9	10	35.3	101
Chester County	9	9	27.8	135
Edgefield County	9	9	30.6	52
Lee County	9	9	56.4	64
Marlboro County	8	8	31.4	103
Newberry County	7	8	20.4	95
Calhoun County	6	8	56.1	67
Union County	4	5	18.7	71
Allendale County	4	4	53.0	28
Bamberg County	3	3	23.3	35
Saluda County	3	3	15.4	42
Abbeville County	1–2	3	12.2	48
Hampton County	1–2	1–2	—	64
Barnwell County	1–2	1–2	—	47
McCormick County	1–2	1–2	—	32

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%

1am4.2%

2am3.9%

3am2.1%

4am2.4%

5am4.9%

6am4%

7am3.9%

8am2.9%

9am2.6%

10am2.9%

11am4.5%

12pm2.8%

1pm3.6%

2pm3.9%

3pm3.3%

4pm3.8%

5pm5.6%

6pm4.7%

7pm5.5%

8pm7.2%

9pm6.3%

10pm6.5%

11pm4.4%

Weekday

Sunday14%

Monday12%

Tuesday15%

Wednesday11%

Thursday14%

Friday15%

Saturday19%

Road type

Minor arterial42%

Other principal arterial32%

Interstate14%

Local8%

Major collector4%

Other freeways and expressways1%

Minor collector0%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in South Carolina in 2018?

1,036 people in 969 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 2018 file, or 20.3 per 100,000 residents.

Which county in South Carolina had the most crash deaths in 2018?

Greenville County with 77 deaths in 69 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 2018 compare with 2017 in South Carolina?

1,036 deaths against 989 in 2017 (+5%). Nationally the 2018 total was 36,835.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2018 national file (accident table, vehicle and person tables); US Census Bureau population estimates. Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026.