Watts Mills, SC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Watts Mills: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Watts Mills and Laurens County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Laurens County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
6 of 564 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Laurens County compares with South Carolina
Laurens County against South Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Laurens County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Laurens County | South Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 69.7 | 61.6 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.8 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.56 | 0.64 | 0.49 | 12% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 48% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.2% | 0.4% | 6.2% | 59% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.8% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.2% | 11.4% | 13.8% | 11% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.0% | 40.5% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 24.9% | 21.5% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Laurens County sits below South Carolina on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and winter months (nov–mar).
The headline for Watts Mills: I-26 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Watts Mills: 4 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 564 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Laurens County. They injured 313 people and killed 27.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Watts Mills since 2015, this page uses Laurens County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 10.6% of the yearly total, while October has the fewest (5.7%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.0% of truck crashes, against 40.5% across South Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (7.6%).
0.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.4% across South Carolina.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Watts Mills is I-26, with 4 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: SR-72 (3), I-385 (2) and SR-355 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
6 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.1% share (South Carolina: 2.1%).
Route planning tips for Watts Mills fleets
- Review driver schedules for July, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-26; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Laurens County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-26 | 4 |
| SR-72 | 3 |
| I-385 | 2 |
| SR-355 | 1 |
| SR-398 | 1 |
| SR-56 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Laurens County) |
|---|---|
| I-26 | 66 |
| I-385 | 44 |
| SR-72 | 11 |
| Golden Acres Rd | 6 |
| SR-56 | 5 |
| SR-49 | 5 |
| Sc72 | 4 |
| US-76 | 4 |
Watts Mills at a glance
| Land area | 2.3 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 29360) | $53,941 |
| Median home value (ZIP 29360) | $167,484 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Laurens 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 | 48 | — | 1.6 |
| 2000s | 40 | -17% | 2.0 |
| 2010s | 46 | +15% | 1.7 |
| 2020s | 48 | +5% | 1.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 48 a year in the 1990s and 48 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 2.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Watts Mills
How common are truck crashes in Watts Mills?
Laurens County has had 564 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 313 people and killing 27.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Watts Mills?
Since 2015, I-26 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Watts Mills: 4.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Watts Mills?
The worst month is July: 10.6% of truck crashes in Laurens County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Watts Mills?
Since 2015, Laurens County has reported 6 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.1% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Watts Mills compare with South Carolina?
Per 100,000 residents, Laurens County has 69.7 truck crashes a year; South Carolina has 61.6.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Watts Mills?
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.