The South Carolina Department of Transportation and the South Carolina Department of Public Safety announced on March 27 significant progress in roadway safety and outlined continued efforts to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries across the state.
At a joint press conference, officials said that coordinated safety initiatives have led to meaningful results. The agencies reaffirmed their commitment to working with local governments, law enforcement, and community partners to build on recent improvements and further enhance roadway safety.
According to preliminary figures from the Department of Public Safety, annual roadway fatalities in South Carolina are at their lowest level in more than a decade. There has been a 21% reduction in traffic fatalities over the past four years, dropping from 1,198 in 2021 to 946 in 2025, with this trend continuing into 2026. “While this progress in recent years is encouraging, we know that the change did not happen by accident,” SCDPS Director Robert G. Woods IV said. “We believe it is the result of our consistent data-driven enforcement efforts, targeted education and community engagement strategies, and strong partnerships at the state and local levels.”
The Department of Transportation highlighted its rural road safety initiatives as contributing to a 30% reduction in fatal and serious injury crashes on targeted roadways. These improvements include infrastructure upgrades such as rumble strips, roadway widening, and safety barriers aimed at reducing crash risks on rural roads. “Every crash statistic represents a person, a family, a community,” SCDOT Secretary Justin Powell said. “While these numbers are encouraging, even one life lost is too many. Together, through safer roads, stronger partnerships, and responsible choices, we can save even more lives. We ask every South Carolinian to be part of the solution and be that driver.”
Building on these results, both agencies announced the launch of the 2025–2029 Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), which was developed with input from local, state, and federal partners using statewide crash data. The plan focuses on engineering, education, enforcement, and emergency response as guiding principles for future safety efforts.
A new public awareness campaign called “Be That Driver” was also introduced to encourage safer driving behaviors among residents by promoting personal responsibility behind the wheel. More information about these initiatives can be found according to the official roster page.
