Ward, SC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ward: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ward and Saluda County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Saluda County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 205 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Saluda County compares with South Carolina
Saluda County against South Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Saluda County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Saluda County | South Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 89.7 | 61.6 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.7 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.61 | 0.64 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 27% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.5% | 0.4% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.0% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.5% | 11.4% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.2% | 40.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.1% | 21.5% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Saluda County has lower values than South Carolina for garbage-truck share. It runs above South Carolina on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
Ward at a glance: SR-121 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Ward: 2 since 2015.
Overview
Saluda County has recorded 205 truck crashes since 2015, with 142 people injured and 9 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 21 days.
Only 17 truck crashes were reported in Ward since 2015; patterns below come from Saluda County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (11.7% of the year) and are lowest in June (5.4%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.2% of truck crashes, against 40.5% across South Carolina.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 8.3% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (South Carolina: 0.4%).
Where crashes happen
SR-121 leads within 10 miles of Ward with 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-178 (1), SR-34 (1) and SR-39 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 4 of the truck crashes here, or 2.0%, compared with 2.1% in South Carolina.
Route planning tips for Ward fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to SR-121 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 0.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above South Carolina; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Saluda County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-121 | 2 |
| SR-178 | 1 |
| SR-34 | 1 |
| SR-39 | 1 |
| US-178 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Saluda County) |
|---|---|
| Batesburg Hwy | 12 |
| Columbia Hwy | 9 |
| Johnston Hwy | 9 |
| Ridge Spring Hwy | 9 |
| Chappells Hwy | 8 |
| Spann Rd | 6 |
| Duncan Rd | 5 |
| Denny Hwy | 4 |
Ward at a glance
| Population | 124 |
| Land area | 0.8 sq mi |
| Density | 160 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 29166) | $45,652 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Saluda 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 | 18 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 15 | -20% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 14 | -7% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 19 | +41% | 1.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 18 to 19. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ward
How many truck crashes happen in Ward?
Saluda County has had 205 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 142 people and killing 9.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Ward?
SR-121 had 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Ward since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Ward?
March has the most truck crashes in Saluda County, 11.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Ward?
Since 2015, Saluda County has reported 4 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.0% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Ward compared with South Carolina?
The yearly rate is 89.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Saluda County, vs 61.6 for South Carolina.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Ward?
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.