South Carolina is worst state in nation for drunk driving fatalities: What to know

South Carolina has a serious problem.

In a recent study conducted by Simrin Law Group, the state was named the worst in the country for drunken driving. Drunken drivers in the state were accountable for 43% of all traffic fatalities. This percentage significantly exceeded the national average of 32%. The study used the latest National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data to determine the finding.

S.C. is not the only state in the South with the problem. In Texas, drunken driving made up 42% of traffic fatalities, while in New Mexico, it was 33%. Other Southern states also landed in the study’s worst 10 states for drunken driving, indicating a dangerous pattern in the region.

What states were in the top 10 for drunken driving? And what states had the least incidents? Here’s what to know.

Top 10 states for drunken driving problems in 2024

∎ No. 1: South Carolina, 100.00 rating

∎ No. 2: Texas, 83.65

∎ No. 3: New Mexico, 80.77

∎ No. 4: Wyoming, 74.39

∎ No. 5: Montana, 71.72

∎ No. 6: Arizona, 70.31

∎ No. 7: Oregon, 70.25

∎ No. 8: Louisiana, 65.11

∎ No. 9: Mississippi, 63.55

∎ No. 10: Alabama, 60.96

Nearly half of SC’s fatal crashes involve alcohol

In the study, S.C. was determined the worst state for drunken driving in 2024, scoring 100 out of 100. Nearly half of the state’s fatal crashes involved alcohol, with 43% of traffic deaths due to drunken drivers. It also had 8.82 drunken driving deaths per 100,000 residents and 11.55 drunken drivers involved in fatal crashes per 100,000 licensed drivers, two categories where it scored significantly higher than the national averages.

Greenville, Spartanburg lead SC in 2024 highway traffic deaths

The SC Department of Public Safety reported that Greenville County led the state in the most highway traffic deaths so far in 2024. Spartanburg was second. In Greenville, a total of 35 deaths were recorded between January and June 2. During that same time frame, Spartanburg recorded 25. Anderson County was fifth in the state with 16 fatalities. Larger population areas like Richland and Charleston counties, in comparison, had 18 and 23 traffic deaths respectively, according to a previous Greenville News story.

In 2022, Greenville led the state with 48 traffic deaths and 36 in 2021. Last year, Spartanburg County was in the lead with 31 fatalities.

S.C. Highway Patrol Trooper Mitch Ridgeway believes fast population growth and unsafe driving habits such as distracted driving, driving under the influence, and speeding are contributors to the rising numbers of fatalities.

“Things like impaired driving are very preventable typically in 2024 because there’s more information out now than ever on the dangers of impaired driving,” Ridgeway said in a previous Greenville News story. “There’s a lot of services out there now. … You can be responsible and have a designated driver planned if you decide to drink.”  

Key findings in the study

∎ In 2022, 13,500 lives were lost due to drunken driving, while 32% of traffic fatalities nationwide were alcohol related.

∎ Southern states lead the nation when it comes to drunken driving problems. S.C., Texas, and New Mexico all had drunken driving fatality rates exceeding the national average, while other Southern states like Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama followed closely behind.

∎ Northeastern states like Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut consistently rank among states with the lowest drunken driving rates. Greater access to public transportation and stricter DUI laws are factors that may be contributing to this.

Utah has the least drunken driving incidents nationwide

In comparison to S.C., Utah traffic fatalities involving alcohol were 22% of all the state’s traffic deaths, lower than the national average of 32%. Residents who died in drunken driving accidents were 2.08 out of every 100,000, and 2.99 out of every 100,000 licensed drivers were involved in fatal drunken-driving crashes.

Top 10 states with the least drunken driving problems in 2024

∎ No. 1: Utah, 31.39 rating

∎ No. 2: New Jersey, 31.79

∎ No. 3: Massachusetts, 31.80

∎ No. 4: Minnesota, 36.22

∎ No. 5: New York, 36.68

∎ No. 6: Alaska, 36.78

∎ No. 7: Pennsylvania, 39.31

∎ No. 8: Michigan, 40.64

∎ No. 9: Wisconsin, 41.03

∎ No. 10: Hawaii, 41.47

Nina Tran covers trending topics for The Greenville News. Reach her via email at ntran@gannett.com