SC drunk driving numbers don’t add up. High fatality rates but DUI arrests lag behind

Evan McKenna
·2 min read

Despite being ranked 23rd in U.S. population by state with 5.2 million residents, South Carolina is ranked second in alcohol-related vehicle fatalities with a rate of 13 deaths per 100,000 residents. The only state more lethal is Montana with 16.

If that wasn’t troubling enough, the state’s law enforcement has earned one of the lowest rate per capita for drunk driving arrests. These findings are according to a study published by MarketWatch using 2021 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Total DUI fatalities as a raw number also paints the Palmetto State in an unfavorable light — ranking 8th for total DUI fatalities with 683, only 51 total deaths worse than New York, a state with nearly 15 million more residents than South Carolina.

The high numbers statewide are reflected in Beaufort County, where officials say traffic fatalities in general are increasing. The Bluffton Police Department hosted a public forum last month to discuss the uptick, urging attendees to sign the “Stay Safe, Bluffton!” pledge against distracted driving. A second meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Sept. 20.

The SC Department of Public Safety has recorded 17 traffic fatalities in Beaufort County so far this year, amounting to just under nine deaths per 100,000 residents. Spartanburg County has the state’s highest fatality rate this year, with just over 16 deaths per 100,000 people.

10 states with the highest rates of DUI fatalities (per 100,000 people)

  • Montana — 16

  • South Carolina — 13

  • New Mexico — 13

  • Wyoming — 12

  • Texas — 11

  • Louisiana — 11

  • South Dakota — 11

  • Arkansas — 10

  • Arizona — 10

  • Alabama — 9

10 states with the most DUI fatalities (raw numbers)

  • Texas — 3,207

  • California — 2,250

  • Florida — 1,707

  • Ohio — 904

  • Illinois — 793

  • North Carolina — 766

  • Arizona — 696

  • South Carolina — 683

  • Georgia — 663

  • New York — 637

But the Palmetto State’s arrest rates for drunk drivers don’t quite match the state’s DUI fatality rate, the study found:

10 states with the lowest rates of DUI arrests (per 100,000 people)

  • Alabama — 6

  • Delaware — 32

  • Louisiana — 49

  • Ohio — 84

  • Massachusetts — 106

  • West Virginia — 124

  • North Carolina — 126

  • South Carolina — 136

  • Arizona — 164

  • Arkansas — 169

Bluffton Chief of Police Joseph Babkiewicz hosted a community safety discussion the evening of Aug. 21 in response to rising traffic fatalities in the Bluffton area.
Bluffton Chief of Police Joseph Babkiewicz hosted a community safety discussion the evening of Aug. 21 in response to rising traffic fatalities in the Bluffton area.