COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Dorchester County: larger FARS fatality book
Dorchester County (SC) holds a larger FARS book (175, #375 of 3,137) with 15 latest-year deaths.
- 175
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 15
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 8.8
- Per 100k Residents
- Well below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Dorchester County ranks #375 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (175 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Dorchester County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Dorchester County carries a top-third fatality book (175 across 2016-2023, #375 of 3,137) at 8.8/100k.
- #1,885 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #375 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #44 of 44
- in SC by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA county milepost
Milepost DORCHESTER-3 · Dorchester 8.8/100k · #1,885 of 2,328
Dorchester County · 8.8/100k · increasing
- BOOK 8.8/100k
- TREND #1,885 of 2,328
- CAUSE 175 book
- PHOTO Increasing
- VS-ST 164 crash
- CRASH -68.5% vs SC
Stamps derive from this county's NHTSA FARS row (per-100k or book, corpus rank, trend, nationwide peer NAME, vs-state gap), not a trip-risk forecast. PlainRoadSafety is informational only. See our disclaimer. Verify with NHTSA FARS → · Read with methodology → · Understanding road fatality data → · South Carolina state profile →
How does Dorchester County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Dorchester County is 68% safer than the comparison
2023 road deaths from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System over population from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2023). Rates shown for counties with 10,000+ residents and a 2023 FARS record.
Among the 15 rated counties in South Carolina, Dorchester County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 27.9 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Dorchester County's rate and the state average is 19.1 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Georgetown County, at 31.9 per 100,000 (a difference of 23.1). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Fairfield County (73.5), Jasper County (56.6), Clarendon County (51.6), Calhoun County (49.3), Bamberg County (46.2), Marion County (45.6), Orangeburg County (44.7), Dillon County (43.3), Darlington County (43.3), Colleton County (41.2), Marlboro County (38.9), Laurens County (37.8), Chester County (34.1), Georgetown County (31.9).
Dorchester County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
9 Among the safer counties a lower per-capita rate than 81% of 2,328 rated counties
rated U.S. counties, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more rated counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NHTSA FARS over U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · 2026-09-03
More road safety data related to Dorchester County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Dorchester County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- South Carolina statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for SC
- State fatality changesYear-over-year state trends
- Browse all U.S. countiesAlphabetical county index
- All state profiles51 state dashboards
- State vs U.S. safety comparisonRoute-level lookup tool
- National statistics downloadFARS CSV + findings
- How to read FARS fatality dataMethodology primer
- Per-mile vs per-capita road riskRate denominator explained
- Counties starting with DLetter index including SC counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Dorchester County, South Carolina?
Dorchester County recorded 175 total traffic fatalities across 164 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 15 fatalities. The county averages approximately 19.4 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Dorchester County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (164 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Dorchester County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for South Carolina may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Dorchester County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Dorchester County is increasing. This indicates that traffic fatalities have risen over the data period, warranting attention to road safety initiatives.
What is the fatality rate per capita in Dorchester County?
Dorchester County has a fatality rate of 8.8 per 100,000 residents, which leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Dorchester County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Dorchester County ranks #1,885 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #44 of 44 rated counties in SC, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Dorchester County compare to the rest of South Carolina?
Dorchester County's per-capita rate of 8.8 per 100,000 residents is below the South Carolina county average of 27.9. Visit the South Carolina state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Dorchester County come from?
All road fatality data comes from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), a census of fatal motor vehicle crashes on public roads in the United States. FARS data covers the period 2016-2023 and includes all crashes resulting in at least one fatality within 30 days.