Charleston County, SC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Charleston 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
3.4 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Charleston County compares with South Carolina
Charleston County against South Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Charleston County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Charleston County | South Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 53.5 | 61.6 | 49.7 | 13% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.3 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 41% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.72 | 0.64 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.4% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 1.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.4% | 0.4% | 6.2% | 20% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 29.4% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.3% | 11.4% | 13.8% | 27% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.0% | 40.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 12.9% | 21.5% | 24.8% | 40% below the state |
Compared with South Carolina, Charleston County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above South Carolina on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
Charleston County at a glance: 1 in 29 garbage-truck share of crashes is 3.4%, against 2.1% for South Carolina.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,566 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Charleston County. They injured 1,839 people and killed 58.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is May with 9.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 7.2%.
November through March accounts for 40.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.5% in South Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (8.7%).
0.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.4% across South Carolina.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-17 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (9). It is followed by I-26 (6), SR-7 (4) and I-526 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
87 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.4% share (South Carolina: 2.1%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in October (15% of them).
They recorded 3.4 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Charleston County fleets
- Plan May schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Charleston County.
- Where you can, review stops along US-17; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at October schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 29.4% 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
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Charleston County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Charleston County) |
|---|---|
| US-17 | 9 |
| I-26 | 6 |
| SR-7 | 4 |
| I-526 | 3 |
| SR-642 | 3 |
| SR-75 | 2 |
| US-52 | 2 |
| US-78 | 2 |
| CR-PALMETTO Commerce | 1 |
| CR-PERIMETER Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Charleston County) |
|---|---|
| I-26 | 100 |
| Ashley Phosphate Rd | 67 |
| Long Point Rd | 44 |
| Main Rd | 28 |
| River Rd | 28 |
| Remount Rd | 28 |
| Ladson Rd | 26 |
| W Montague Ave | 21 |
Charleston County at a glance
| Population | 431,001 |
| Land area | 918.2 sq mi |
| Density | 469 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $92,769 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Charleston 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 | 191 | — | 3.0 |
| 2000s | 154 | -19% | 3.9 |
| 2010s | 209 | +35% | 3.8 |
| 2020s | 216 | +3% | 4.6 |
In the 1990s about 191 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 216. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 5.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 4.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Charleston County
ZIP codes in Charleston County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Charleston County
How common are truck crashes in Charleston County?
Charleston County has had 2,566 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,839 people and killing 58.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Charleston County?
Since 2015, US-17 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Charleston County: 9.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Charleston County?
The worst month is May: 9.7% of truck crashes in Charleston County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Charleston County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 87 reported crashes in Charleston County since 2015 (3.4% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Charleston County compare with South Carolina?
The yearly rate is 53.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Charleston County, vs 61.6 for South Carolina.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Charleston County?
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.