East Gaffney, SC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in East Gaffney: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in East Gaffney and Cherokee County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Cherokee County numbers.
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 sits below South Carolina on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above South Carolina on crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
The headline for East Gaffney: 2.4× yearly fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of East Gaffney: 1.2 in 2016–19, 3.0 in 2020–24.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,274 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Cherokee County. They injured 711 people and killed 46.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
With 0 truck crashes reported in East Gaffney since 2015, this page uses Cherokee County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 10.1% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (7.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.4% of truck crashes, vs 40.5% for South Carolina.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 6.5% of truck crashes.
0.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.4% across South Carolina.
Where crashes happen
I-85 leads within 10 miles of East Gaffney with 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-18 (2), SR-198 (2) and US-29 (2).
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 East Gaffney fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-85; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Cherokee County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-85 | 9 |
| SR-18 | 2 |
| SR-198 | 2 |
| US-29 | 2 |
| SR-150 | 1 |
| SR-180 | 1 |
| SR-35 | 1 |
| SR-5 | 1 |
| Ssr-68 Hopewell Rd | 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 |
East Gaffney at a glance
| Land area | 3.0 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 29341) | $58,029 |
| Median home value (ZIP 29341) | $189,790 |
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. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.5 a year in 2016–19 and 3.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about East Gaffney
How many truck crashes happen in East Gaffney?
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 East Gaffney?
NHTSA data shows I-85 with 9 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of East Gaffney since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in East Gaffney?
The worst month is March: 10.1% of truck crashes in Cherokee County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in East Gaffney?
Since 2015, Cherokee County has reported 11 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.9% of its truck crashes.
How does East Gaffney compare with South Carolina for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 194.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Cherokee County, vs 61.6 for South Carolina.
How can I plan a safer truck route in East Gaffney?
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.