4 Points Back. "South Carolina Driving Statistics." 4pointsback.com. Last updated July 22, 2026. https://4pointsback.com/south-carolina-driving-statistics/
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South Carolina has the 3rd-highest traffic fatality rate per mile driven in the U.S. — 1.67 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2024, vs. 1.19 nationally.
These South Carolina driving statistics compile the most current federal and state crash data available, covering fatality rates, DUI trends, speeding, pedestrian safety, and more — updated regularly and sourced directly from IIHS, NHTSA, and SCDPS.
Quick Facts
These South Carolina driving statistics summarize the numbers that matter most:
- South Carolina recorded 1,038 traffic deaths in 2024 — a rate of 18.9 per 100,000 residents, the 4th-highest rate in the nation (national average: 11.5).
- Speeding was a factor in 38% of SC’s fatal crashes, versus 29% nationally.
- An estimated 41% of SC drivers killed in crashes had a BAC of 0.08% or higher — well above the 31% national rate.
- South Carolina had the highest share of car-occupant deaths of any state in the nation: 38%.
- Fatal crashes fell 9% in 2024, the lowest level in at least seven years and down 18% from the 2021 peak — the trend is improving, even as SC’s rate remains among the worst nationally.
SC vs. National & Regional Benchmarks (2024)
| State | Deaths / 100,000 people | Deaths / 100M miles | Total deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 18.9 | 1.67 | 1,038 |
| North Carolina | 14.7 | 1.24 | 1,619 |
| Georgia | 12.5 | 1.15 | 1,403 |
| Mississippi (#1 in nation) | 25.6 | 1.81 | 753 |
| U.S. National Average | 11.5 | 1.19 | 39,254 |
Source: IIHS analysis of NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data, 2024 (posted June 2026).
More South Carolina Driving Statistics by Topic
Seven deep-dive reports built from these South Carolina driving statistics, each covering a different angle — from DUI trends to dangerous highways.
South Carolina DUI & Drunk Driving Deaths
An estimated 41% of SC’s fatally injured drivers had a BAC over the legal limit. Track the data alongside SC’s active 2026 DUI law reform debate.
SC’s New Hands-Free Law: What the Data Shows
Signed July 2025, effective September 2025, enforced since February 2026 — how distraction-related crash data is trending before and after.
Speeding-Related Crashes and Fatalities
Speeding was a factor in 38% of SC’s fatal crashes in 2024, well above the 29% national rate. Broken out by road type.
Pedestrian Safety in South Carolina
SC ranks among the most dangerous states for pedestrians, with most deaths occurring at night. Includes a Charleston/Columbia callout.
Motorcycle Safety & Helmet Laws
A plain-language explainer on SC’s under-21 helmet law, paired with current motorcyclist fatality and helmet-use data.
The Deadliest Highways and Intersections
An interactive map of South Carolina’s most dangerous corridors, including the current #1 deadliest stretch of interstate.
South Carolina’s Crash Clock: How Often Someone Dies on SC Roads
SCDPS’s own quotable format, rebuilt with current data: how often a South Carolinian dies in a traffic crash — broken out by cause and road-user type.
These numbers are why defensive driving matters. If a ticket has already put points on your South Carolina license, eligible drivers can remove up to four points with our live South Carolina 4 point reduction course.
A Note on Our South Carolina Driving Statistics Methodology
You may see South Carolina ranked anywhere from 2nd to 10th “most dangerous” in various news and industry reports. The differences come down to methodology: some studies weight fatalities per capita, others per mile driven, others build composite scores across multiple risk factors, and some use different data years. This page leads with the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled — the metric used directly by NHTSA and IIHS from federal FARS crash data — because it’s the most consistently measured and independently verifiable figure across states and years. Where other credible rankings differ, we note the source and methodology on the relevant topic page.