Hilton Head Island, SC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Hilton Head Island: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Hilton Head Island and Beaufort County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Beaufort County numbers.
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 |
Beaufort County has lower values than South Carolina for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
Beaufort County at a glance: 1 in 16 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 6.2%, vs 2.1% in South Carolina.
Overview
Beaufort County has recorded 499 truck crashes since 2015, with 372 people injured and 16 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 8 days.
Only 80 truck crashes were reported in Hilton Head Island since 2015; patterns below come from Beaufort County as a whole.
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.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 10.0% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.4% of truck crashes, compared with 0.4% in South Carolina.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Hilton Head Island happened on US-278 (2); no road leads clearly.
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%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 3.1 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Hilton Head Island fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Waste haulers: April is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Beaufort County.
- Morning starts matter: 28.7% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than South Carolina.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-278 | 2 |
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 |
Hilton Head Island at a glance
| Population | 38,158 |
| Land area | 41.4 sq mi |
| Density | 923 per sq mi |
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 crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Hilton Head Island
How many truck crashes happen in Hilton Head Island?
499 truck crashes have been reported in Beaufort County since 2015, with 16 deaths and 372 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Hilton Head Island?
March has the most truck crashes in Beaufort County, 10.6% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Hilton Head Island?
30 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Beaufort County since 2015, 6.0% of all truck crashes.
How does Hilton Head Island compare with South Carolina for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Beaufort County has 21.9 truck crashes a year; South Carolina has 61.6.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Hilton Head Island?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.