Beaufort County, SC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Beaufort County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.1 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Beaufort County compares with South Carolina
Beaufort County against South Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Beaufort County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Beaufort County | South Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 21.9 | 61.6 | 49.7 | 64% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.1 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 21% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.76 | 0.64 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.2% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 2.9× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.4% | 0.4% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.7% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 6.8% | 11.4% | 13.8% | 40% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.0% | 40.5% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 11.8% | 21.5% | 24.8% | 45% below the state |
Compared with South Carolina, Beaufort County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
Beaufort County at a glance: 1 in 16 crashes involve a garbage truck (30 since 2015), vs 2.1% across South Carolina.
Overview
Police reported 499 crashes involving commercial trucks in Beaufort County since 2015: 372 people were injured and 16 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 8 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (10.6% of the year) and are lowest in May (7.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 45.0% of truck crashes, against 40.5% across South Carolina.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 10.0% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (South Carolina: 0.4%).
Where crashes happen
US-17 leads in Beaufort County with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-170 (2), US-21 (2) and US-278 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 30 crashes, 6.0% of the total, against 2.1% across South Carolina.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in April (17%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 3.1 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Beaufort County fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Beaufort County.
- Where you can, review stops along US-17; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: April is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Beaufort County.
- 28.7% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above South Carolina; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Beaufort County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Beaufort County) |
|---|---|
| US-17 | 4 |
| SR-170 | 2 |
| US-21 | 2 |
| US-278 | 2 |
| Buckwalter Pkwy | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Beaufort County) |
|---|---|
| Okatie Hwy | 26 |
| Fording Island Rd | 16 |
| Trask Pkwy | 15 |
| Sea Island Pkwy | 10 |
| Bluffton Pkwy | 8 |
| Charleston Hwy | 7 |
| Robert Smalls Pkwy | 5 |
| Bluffton Parkway | 4 |
Beaufort County at a glance
| Population | 201,775 |
| Land area | 576.0 sq mi |
| Density | 350 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $88,849 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Beaufort County since the 1990s
Combines the FMCSA crash file (all reported truck crashes, real coverage from about 1990) with NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes involving a large truck, 1982–2024).
| Decade | Truck crashes / yr | Change | Fatal crashes / yr (FARS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 47 | — | 2.2 |
| 2000s | 43 | -9% | 1.6 |
| 2010s | 34 | -20% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 48 | +40% | 1.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 47 a year in the 1990s and 48 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Beaufort County
ZIP codes in Beaufort County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Beaufort County
How many truck crashes happen in Beaufort County?
Beaufort County has had 499 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 372 people and killing 16.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Beaufort County?
NHTSA data shows US-17 with 4 fatal large-truck crashes in Beaufort County since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Beaufort County?
March has the most truck crashes in Beaufort County, 10.6% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Beaufort County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 30 reported crashes in Beaufort County since 2015 (6.0% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Beaufort County compare with South Carolina?
Per 100,000 residents, Beaufort County has 21.9 truck crashes a year; South Carolina has 61.6.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Beaufort County?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.