Dorchester County, SC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dorchester 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
7.4 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 4.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Dorchester County compares with South Carolina
Dorchester County against South Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Dorchester County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Dorchester County | South Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 54.1 | 61.6 | 49.7 | 12% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.61 | 0.64 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.6% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.0% | 0.4% | 6.2% | 2.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.9% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.9% | 11.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.4% | 40.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.2% | 21.5% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Dorchester County has lower values than South Carolina for crashes per 100k residents / yr. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and after dark.
The headline for Dorchester County: 1.0% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (South Carolina: 0.4%).
Overview
Since 2015, 1,097 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Dorchester County. They injured 659 people and killed 48.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is March with 9.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is June at 6.7%.
November through March accounts for 42.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.5% in South Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (9.1%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.0% of truck crashes, compared with 0.4% in South Carolina.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Dorchester County is I-26, with 8 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come I-95 (5), US-17 (5) and US-78 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 29 crashes, 2.6% of the total, against 2.1% across South Carolina.
Their busiest month is May, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 7.4, vs 4.0 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Dorchester County fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-26, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in May; review collection routes for that month.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 1.0% of truck crashes here, more than South Carolina; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Dorchester County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Dorchester County) |
|---|---|
| I-26 | 8 |
| I-95 | 5 |
| US-17 | 5 |
| US-78 | 4 |
| US-15 | 2 |
| US-178 | 2 |
| SR-136 | 1 |
| SR-165 | 1 |
| SR-169 | 1 |
| SR-25 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Dorchester County) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 79 |
| I-26 | 60 |
| US-78 | 22 |
| Ashley Phosphate Rd | 15 |
| Orangeburg Rd | 12 |
| Dorchester Rd | 11 |
| Us 78 Hwy | 10 |
| Central Ave | 9 |
Dorchester County at a glance
| Population | 174,663 |
| Land area | 568.4 sq mi |
| Density | 307 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $79,927 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Dorchester 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 | 52 | — | 1.7 |
| 2000s | 61 | +16% | 2.7 |
| 2010s | 76 | +25% | 2.4 |
| 2020s | 103 | +36% | 4.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 52 to 103. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 2.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 4.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Dorchester County
ZIP codes in Dorchester County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Dorchester County
How many truck accidents are there in Dorchester County?
1,097 truck crashes have been reported in Dorchester County since 2015, with 48 deaths and 659 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Dorchester County?
I-26 had 8 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Dorchester County since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Dorchester County?
Truck crashes in Dorchester County peak in March, with 9.7% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Dorchester County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 29 reported crashes in Dorchester County since 2015 (2.6% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Dorchester County compared with South Carolina?
Per 100,000 residents, Dorchester County has 54.1 truck crashes a year; South Carolina has 61.6.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Dorchester 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.