South Carolina Motorcycle Fatality Statistics
South Carolina reported 184 motorcycle deaths in 2015, according to information provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This was a rather dramatic increase from 2014 when there were 121 reported. In fact, it is well above any year in the past decade. The lowest number came in 2010 when there were 101.
Over twice as many victims failed to wear their helmets at the time of the crash as those who had them on. A total of 55 was wearing a helmet, and 129 did not. This continues a trend of riders not wearing helmets. The state does have a helmet law, which requires helmets for riders who are 20 years old and younger.
Only 30 percent of riders wore helmets in 2015, according to the NHTSA. This saved 33 lives. If the rate went up to 100 percent, another 48 lives might have been saved.
More people in the 20-29 age group were fatality victims in 2015 with 47. In second place were people in the 50-59 age group with 40. The number dropped to nearly half for those over 59 years with 22. Only four deaths involved victims who were under 20 years old.
The state had 114,666 registered bikes in 2014, resulting in a motorcycle fatality rate per 100,000 of 105.5. This number is decreasing from the previous three years.
Most of the counties in South Carolina reported at least one death from a motorcycle accident in 2015. Several counties had more than five but fewer than 16. One reported between 16 and 25, and another county reported more than 25 but less than 36.
Horry County came in at number one with 32 deaths, which was exactly double the number in 2014. Clear across the state in second place was Greenville County with nineteen. This number was over triple in 2014.