SC traffic fatalities down this year so far, DPH data shows. These counties have the most deaths

If you feel like you’ve been seeing fewer headlines about fatal car crashes in South Carolina lately, you’re not crazy.

Newly released traffic data from the SC Department of Public Safety shows that, since the beginning of this year, up until June 7, there have been fewer reported traffic fatalities in SC year-over-year.

It’s a much-needed break for the state, as it’s notorious for its poor road conditions and dangerous driving. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in 2023 SC had 19.5 deaths per 100,000 people from car crashes. That made South Carolina the fourth-deadliest state in the country from collisions, only beaten by Mississippi, New Mexico and Wyoming.

Driving conditions have gotten considerably better since 2023. Here’s how much traffic deaths have fallen since then:

Drop in traffic fatalities

In 2023, at this point in the year, the number of people who died from a traffic accident reached 457 in SC, according to the SC Department of Public Safety.

Two years later, in 2025, that number went down to 408, and this year, there have only been 363 traffic fatalities. From 2023 to 2026, traffic fatalities decreased by more than 20%.

While it’s good that traffic deaths have decreased year-over-year, some counties are still safer than others when it comes to driving.

10 SC counties with most traffic fatalities

As of June 7, these are the counties that have the highest number of traffic fatalities in the state:

• #1. Spartanburg: 35 deaths
• #2. Charleston: 30 deaths
• #3. Richland: 26 deaths
• #4. Greenville: 24 deaths
• #5. Horry: 23 deaths
• #6. Anderson: 18 deaths
• #7. Berkeley: 15 deaths
• #8. Orangeburg: 14 deaths
• #9. Lexington: 13 deaths
• #10. Beaufort/Aiken: 11 deaths

How to driver safer

Here are tips on how to drive more safely to reduce the risk of crashing and harming yourself. They may save your life:

• Remember to always buckle up, as it’s the easiest way to save your life and protect yourself from injuries while driving
• While a no-brainer, you must drive without the influence of alcohol. Traffic fatalities in SC are especially high because of drunk drivers
• Pay attention to the road and put down the phone. Driving safely requires your full attention
• Never drive drowsy. If you feel tired and wonder how long you can keep driving, you should pull over and wake yourself up
• Share the road responsibly. There are others around you, and not all of them are driving cars. Bicyclists and motorcyclists can easily end up in your blind spot, so make sure to look all around you before making a turn

If you see something, say something. Call 911 immediately if you see a car collision while driving. Remain calm and tell the operative what happened.

This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 5:30 AM with the headline "SC traffic fatalities down this year so far, DPH data shows. These counties have the most deaths."