Cherokee County, SC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cherokee 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
11 of 1,274 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Cherokee County compares with South Carolina
Cherokee County against South Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cherokee County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cherokee County | South Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 194.5 | 61.6 | 49.7 | 3.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 8% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.56 | 0.64 | 0.49 | 12% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.8% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 62% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.2% | 0.4% | 6.2% | 45% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.8% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 18% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.1% | 11.4% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.4% | 40.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 29.0% | 21.5% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Cherokee County has lower values than South Carolina for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
The headline for Cherokee County: 2.3× yearly fatal truck crashes in Cherokee County: 1.5 in 2016–19, 3.4 in 2020–24.
Overview
Police reported 1,274 crashes involving commercial trucks in Cherokee County since 2015: 711 people were injured and 46 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 3 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (10.1% of the year) and are lowest in February (7.3%).
November through March accounts for 42.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.5% in South Carolina.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 6.5% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (South Carolina: 0.4%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-85 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (12). It is followed by SR-18 (2), US-29 (2) and SR-105 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 11 crashes, 0.9% of the total, against 2.1% across South Carolina.
Route planning tips for Cherokee County fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-85; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Cherokee County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Cherokee County) |
|---|---|
| I-85 | 12 |
| SR-18 | 2 |
| US-29 | 2 |
| SR-105 | 1 |
| SR-150 | 1 |
| SR-198 | 1 |
| SR-35 | 1 |
| SR-5 | 1 |
| Ssr-68 Hopewell Rd | 1 |
| US-221 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cherokee County) |
|---|---|
| I-85 | 207 |
| 84Sb | 28 |
| 90Nb | 13 |
| Chesnee Hwy | 13 |
| Hyatt St | 13 |
| 88Nb | 10 |
| 90Sb | 10 |
| 91Nb | 10 |
Cherokee County at a glance
| Population | 57,770 |
| Land area | 393.0 sq mi |
| Density | 147 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $50,225 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cherokee 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 | 69 | — | 2.5 |
| 2000s | 72 | +4% | 1.6 |
| 2010s | 72 | +0% | 1.4 |
| 2020s | 136 | +89% | 3.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 69 to 136. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 1.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Cherokee County
ZIP codes in Cherokee County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Cherokee County
How many truck crashes happen in Cherokee County?
1,274 truck crashes have been reported in Cherokee County since 2015, with 46 deaths and 711 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Cherokee County?
NHTSA data shows I-85 with 12 fatal large-truck crashes in Cherokee County since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Cherokee County?
The worst month is March: 10.1% of truck crashes in Cherokee County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Cherokee County?
Since 2015, Cherokee County has reported 11 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.9% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Cherokee County compare with South Carolina?
Cherokee County records 194.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.6 across South Carolina.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Cherokee 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.