Sullivan's Island, SC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Sullivan's Island: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Sullivan's Island and Charleston County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Charleston County numbers.
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. Where it is higher: injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Charleston County: 1 in 29 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 3.4%, vs 2.1% in 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.
That averages about one truck crash every 2 days in fully reported years.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Sullivan's Island since 2015, this page uses Charleston County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
May has the most truck crashes, 9.7% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (7.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.0% of truck crashes, vs 40.5% for South Carolina.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 8.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (South Carolina: 0.4%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-17 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (2). After it: SR-121 (1), SR-41 (1) and SR-53 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 87 crashes, 3.4% of the total, against 2.1% across South Carolina.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in October (15% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 3.4, vs 2.3 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Sullivan's Island fleets
- Build extra time into May routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-17 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: October is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Charleston County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 29.4% of truck crashes here, more than South Carolina; adjust start times where you can.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-17 | 2 |
| SR-121 | 1 |
| SR-41 | 1 |
| SR-53 | 1 |
| SR-703 | 1 |
| US-52 | 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 |
Sullivan's Island at a glance
| Population | 1,948 |
| Land area | 2.5 sq mi |
| Density | 780 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 29482) | $192,813 |
| Median home value (ZIP 29482) | $2,000,001 |
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. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 5.0 a year in 2016–19 and 4.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Sullivan's Island
How many truck accidents are there in Sullivan's Island?
2,566 truck crashes have been reported in Charleston County since 2015, with 58 deaths and 1,839 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Sullivan's Island?
US-17 had 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Sullivan's Island since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Sullivan's Island?
The worst month is May: 9.7% of truck crashes in Charleston County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Sullivan's Island?
Since 2015, Charleston County has reported 87 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.4% of its truck crashes.
How does Sullivan's Island compare with South Carolina for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Charleston County has 53.5 truck crashes a year; South Carolina has 61.6.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Sullivan's Island?
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.