Charleston, SC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Charleston: 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
8.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Charleston compares with South Carolina
Charleston against South Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Charleston stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Charleston | South Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 36.2 | 61.6 | 49.7 | 41% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.3 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 67% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.72 | 0.64 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.7% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 2.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.3% | 0.4% | 6.2% | 27% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.4% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.8% | 11.4% | 13.8% | 31% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.6% | 40.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 12.6% | 21.5% | 24.8% | 41% below the state |
Charleston has lower values than South Carolina for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Charleston: 1 in 17 garbage-truck share of crashes is 5.7%, against 2.1% for South Carolina.
Overview
Since 2015, 631 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Charleston. They injured 454 people and killed 8.
That averages about one truck crash every 6 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 10.8% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (5.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.6% of truck crashes, vs 40.5% for South Carolina.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 9.5% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.3% of truck crashes, compared with 0.4% in South Carolina.
Where crashes happen
I-26 leads within 15 miles of Charleston with 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by I-526 (4), SR-7 (4) and US-17 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 36 crashes, 5.7% of the total, against 2.1% across South Carolina.
Their busiest month is July, with 17% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 8.3 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Charleston fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-26; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at July schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 27.4% of truck crashes here, more than South Carolina; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 Charleston
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-26 | 6 |
| I-526 | 4 |
| SR-7 | 4 |
| US-17 | 4 |
| SR-642 | 3 |
| SR-33 | 2 |
| SR-75 | 2 |
| US-52 | 2 |
| CR-PALMETTO Commerce | 1 |
| CR-PERIMETER Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Charleston) |
|---|---|
| Main Rd | 28 |
| River Rd | 23 |
| Bohicket Rd | 14 |
| Bees Ferry Rd | 11 |
| Meeting St | 9 |
| Clements Ferry Rd | 9 |
| Calhoun St | 5 |
| Camp Rd | 5 |
Charleston at a glance
| Population | 157,665 |
| Land area | 115.2 sq mi |
| Density | 1,368 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Charleston 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 | — | — | 3.0 |
| 2000s | — | — | 3.9 |
| 2010s | 59 | — | 3.8 |
| 2020s | 48 | -19% | 4.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 59 a year in the 2010s 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: 5.0 a year in 2016–19, 4.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Charleston
How many truck crashes happen in Charleston?
Charleston has had 631 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 454 people and killing 8.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Charleston?
Since 2015, I-26 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 15 miles of Charleston: 6.
When do most truck crashes happen in Charleston?
March has the most truck crashes in Charleston, 10.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Charleston?
Since 2015, Charleston has reported 36 garbage-truck crashes, or 5.7% of its truck crashes.
How does Charleston compare with South Carolina for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 36.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Charleston, vs 61.6 for South Carolina.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Charleston?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.