States › South Carolina › 2021

2021

South Carolina in 2021

Deaths 1,198Fatal crashes 1,112Per 100,000 23.1US deaths 43,230

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 2021.

In 2021, 1,198 people died in 1,112 fatal crashes in South Carolina, 23.1 deaths per 100,000 residents against 13.0 nationally.

The death toll rose 12% from 1,066 in 2020 to 1,198 in 2021.

South Carolina accounted for 2.8% of the 43,230 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

32.6% 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 (37%).

37% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

← 202020212022 →All years

Compared with 2020 and the nation

Measure	South Carolina 2021	South Carolina 2020	United States 2021
Deaths	1,198	1,066	43,230
Fatal crashes	1,112	964	39,785
Deaths per 100,000 residents	23.1	20.8	13.0
Crashes with a drinking driver	33%	34%	26%

Counties in 2021

Every county with a fatal crash in 2021, 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	88	93	16.3	831
Spartanburg County	80	84	22.7	672
Horry County	73	80	19.4	714
Charleston County	72	77	17.9	682
Richland County	70	74	17.2	585
Lexington County	52	57	18.2	501
Anderson County	55	55	25.3	435
Orangeburg County	44	46	55.3	387
York County	37	43	14.2	338
Florence County	40	41	29.7	349
Aiken County	35	36	20.1	321
Berkeley County	32	33	12.5	410
Sumter County	29	31	29.6	234
Pickens County	26	29	21.0	203
Beaufort County	22	26	12.9	225
Dorchester County	22	26	14.9	245
Kershaw County	24	24	33.5	167
Darlington County	23	23	36.8	213
Cherokee County	19	23	39.8	160
Jasper County	19	23	64.6	178
Laurens County	20	21	29.8	238
Lancaster County	18	21	18.8	167
Colleton County	18	19	48.4	215
Newberry County	14	18	45.9	95
Dillon County	16	17	61.6	112
Chester County	14	16	49.5	135
Williamsburg County	13	14	46.9	114
Marlboro County	11	14	54.9	103
Georgetown County	11	13	19.7	150
Greenwood County	10	11	15.7	124
Clarendon County	10	10	32.2	146
Fairfield County	10	10	49.1	113
Oconee County	10	10	12.1	142
Calhoun County	8	9	63.2	67
Chesterfield County	8	9	20.2	118
Hampton County	8	9	49.5	64
Marion County	8	9	31.7	101
Barnwell County	7	8	39.0	47
Saluda County	7	7	36.0	42
Union County	7	7	26.2	71
Lee County	6	6	37.6	64
Abbeville County	5	5	20.3	48
Edgefield County	4	4	13.6	52
McCormick County	4	4	40.1	32
Bamberg County	1–2	1–2	—	35
Allendale County	1–2	1–2	—	28

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

12am4.6%

1am3.4%

2am4.1%

3am2.9%

4am2.5%

5am3.9%

6am3.4%

7am3.1%

8am2.2%

9am1.1%

10am2.7%

11am2.3%

12pm3.1%

1pm4%

2pm3.5%

3pm5.1%

4pm5.7%

5pm5%

6pm6.8%

7pm6.2%

8pm6%

9pm7.6%

10pm5.1%

11pm5.6%

Weekday

Sunday15%

Monday13%

Tuesday12%

Wednesday13%

Thursday13%

Friday17%

Saturday18%

Road type

Minor arterial37%

Other principal arterial25%

Major collector14%

Local11%

Interstate11%

Other freeways and expressways1%

Minor collector1%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in South Carolina in 2021?

1,198 people in 1,112 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 2021 file, or 23.1 per 100,000 residents.

Which county in South Carolina had the most crash deaths in 2021?

Greenville County with 93 deaths in 88 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 2021 compare with 2020 in South Carolina?

1,198 deaths against 1,066 in 2020 (+12%). Nationally the 2021 total was 43,230.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2021 national file (accident table, vehicle and person tables); US Census Bureau population estimates. Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026.