Car accident statistics for Charleston County, South Carolina (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Charleston County by year

Car accident deaths rose from 66 in 2020 to 69 in 2021, fell to 56 in 2022, and rose to 69 in 2023. The count then fell to 54 in 2024. The highest count was shared by 2021 and 2023, while 2024 had the lowest count. The 2024 count was 12 deaths lower than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The annual share of traffic deaths attributed to car accidents was 90.4% in 2020, 89.6% in 2021, 87.5% in 2022, 92.0% in 2023 and 88.5% in 2024. All traffic deaths numbered 73, 77, 64, 75 and 61 in those respective years. The highest car accident share occurred in 2023; the lowest occurred in 2022.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Deaths within 30 days in crashes on public roads. 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised.

Who died in Charleston County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 172 deaths, or 54.8% of car accident deaths in Charleston County from 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 44 deaths, or 14.0%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 98 deaths, or 31.2%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

These categories classify the people killed in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. Each share uses the 314 deaths in those crashes as its denominator. The grouping follows FARS person types and vehicle body categories.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Manner of collision describes the first harmful event. Angle (side impact) accounted for 57 deaths (18.2%), head-on for 32 (10.2%), rear-end for 31 (9.9%), and sideswipe for 5 (1.6%).^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 189 deaths (60.2%). This means the first harmful event was not a collision between motor vehicles in transport. Examples include striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. A motor vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic; the category does not test whether another vehicle was physically moving.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Nighttime, defined as 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 206 car accident deaths in Charleston County from 2020 through 2024, or 65.6%. Daytime, from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 108 deaths, or 34.4%. The nighttime count was higher than the daytime count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

By land use, urban crashes accounted for 234 deaths (74.5%), while rural crashes accounted for 80 deaths (25.5%). Car accident deaths in crashes that also involved a large truck numbered 14, representing 4.5%. The truck figure counts deaths in those crashes, rather than the number of trucks or crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with South Carolina and the United States

Charleston County's car accident death rate was 14.9 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. South Carolina's rate was 18.4, and the national rate was 10.5. The county rate was lower than the state rate and higher than the national rate.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The listed neighboring counties had rates of 17.8 in Berkeley County, 13.0 in Dorchester County and 55.6 in Colleton County. Among the listed neighboring counties, Colleton County had the highest rate and Dorchester County the lowest. These rates use deaths divided by the sum of annual Census population estimates, multiplied by 100,000. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors, and the deaths are assigned by crash location.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates, so they show deaths per 100,000 residents per year. They do not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.

Recorded characteristics of all fatal crashes

Recorded characteristics cover all fatal crashes in Charleston County, of any vehicle type. Shares use all traffic deaths, rather than car accident deaths. Speeding-related crashes accounted for 142 deaths (40.6%); roadway departure, 137 (39.1%); at an intersection, 78 (22.3%); pedestrian involved, 92 (26.3%); motorcycle involved, 61 (17.4%); hit-and-run, 31 (8.9%); driver distraction reported, 12 (3.4%); and in a work zone, 0 (0.0%).^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can have several recorded characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These classifications are recorded characteristics, not findings of fault or cause.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can carry several characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These are recorded characteristics, not findings of fault.

About these figures

FARS is a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes involving a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and a death within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. For readers searching for a car accident lawyer, the counts here are grouped by crash county, not residence.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files; 2024 uses the revisable Annual Report File. Rates divide 2020 through 2024 deaths by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates, Vintage 2025, and multiply by 100,000. This gives average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjustment for miles driven or visitors. The separately shown July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the rate denominator.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Car accident statistics for Berkeley County, South Carolina (2020-2024)
• South Carolina car accident statistics (2020-2024)

On related publications

• Truck accident statistics for Charleston County, South Carolina (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)