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

Car accident deaths in Greenville County by year

Car accident deaths increased from 74 in 2020 to 87 in 2021 and 89 in 2022. The count fell to 68 in 2023 before returning to 89 in 2024. The highest count was shared by 2022 and 2024, while 2023 had the lowest count. The 2024 count was 15 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths followed a different set of totals: 82 in 2020, 93 in 2021, 103 in 2022, 75 in 2023 and 94 in 2024. The car accident share was 90.2%, 93.5%, 86.4%, 90.7% and 94.7%, respectively. That share was highest in 2024 and lowest in 2022, despite 2022 sharing the highest car accident death count.^{[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 Greenville County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 259 deaths, or 63.6% of car accident deaths during 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 56 deaths, or 13.8%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 92 deaths, or 22.6%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

These labels classify the people killed in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. The Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) label follows FARS coding rather than a literal test of vehicle occupancy. Readers searching for a car accident lawyer should keep these person categories distinct when reading the counts.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Angle (side impact) crashes accounted for 78 deaths, or 19.2%; Head-on for 62, or 15.2%; Rear-end for 34, or 8.4%; and Sideswipe for 9, or 2.2%. Each figure counts deaths, rather than crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 224 car accident deaths, or 55.0%. Manner of collision describes the first harmful event. This row covers events such as striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. A motor vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic; the classification does not depend on whether another vehicle was physically moving.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Nighttime (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) accounted for 254 car accident deaths, or 62.4%, compared with 153 deaths, or 37.6%, during Daytime (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.). These figures cover 2020 through 2024 and classify deaths by the time of the crash.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land-use categories recorded 318 deaths, or 78.1%, as Urban and 89 deaths, or 21.9%, as Rural. Separately, crashes that also involved a large truck accounted for 35 car accident deaths, or 8.6%. That truck-involvement figure counts deaths in the qualifying crashes, rather than the number of large trucks or crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

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

Greenville County's car accident death rate was 14.8 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]}

Among the listed neighboring counties, Spartanburg County recorded a rate of 18.4 and Anderson County recorded 17.5. Greenville County's rate was lower than each of those rates. These measures divide deaths during the period by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates and multiply by 100,000. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors, and the deaths are assigned to the county where the crash happened.^{[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 Greenville County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accident deaths. Shares use all traffic deaths: Roadway departure, 45.4%; Speeding-related, 33.3%; At an intersection, 21.3%; Pedestrian involved, 19.9%; Motorcycle involved, 18.1%; Hit-and-run, 5.8%; Driver distraction reported, 0.7%; and In a work zone, 0.2%.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Roadway departure had the largest share of the listed characteristics, while In a work zone had the smallest. A crash can carry several characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These records are 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. Inclusion requires a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and a vehicle occupant or nonoccupant dying within 30 days. Counts follow crash location, not residence. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded.^[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 from Vintage 2025, then multiply by 100,000. This gives average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjusting for miles driven or visitors. The separately shown July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the denominator.^[8][6][7]

See also

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