Safety Statistics

South Carolina has improved its safety statistics, but there is still much progress to be made.

Narrow, two-lane roads are statistically the most dangerous highways in America. Safety on these roads can be enhanced through engineering design improvements and proper maintenance. In South Carolina, the secondary highway system is under-funded. SCDOT does not have a state-funded construction program to make safety improvements. We depend heavily on federal funding and spot improvements performed by maintenance crews. Our secondary roads are getting older and more expensive to maintain.

Recent engineering innovations such as cable barriers, rumble strips, wet reflective paint, and porous asphalt have improved highway safety. SCDOT is focusing on not only vehicular safety, but bicycle and pedestrian safety as well.

The following chart shows the five year trend of fatal crash statistics in South Carolina.

South Carolina Mileage Death Rate

While the state's safety statistics have shown improvement, South Carolina continues to be ranked in the bottom five for Mileage Death Rate (MDR) and pedestrian safety each year since 2008. For this reason, SCDOT has made safety a top strategic goal.