Transportation Performance Management

State Highway Safety Report (2021) - South Carolina

The following provides a summary of the Highway Safety Improvement Program's (HSIP) safety performance measures and State safety performance targets. As per the Safety PM Final Rule, States are required to set annual safety performance targets in the HSIP annual report for the number of fatalities, rate of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT), number of serious injuries, rate of serious injures per 100 million VMT, and number of non-motorized fatalities and serious injuries. The safety performance targets are based on 5-year rolling averages. States have the flexibility to use the methodology they deem most appropriate when establishing safety performance targets. FHWA encourages States to review data sets and trends and consider factors that may affect targets. The safety performance targets should be data-driven, realistic, and attainable and should align with the performance management framework and legislative intent.

A State Department of Transportation (DOT) has met or made significant progress towards meeting its safety performance targets when at least four of the five safety performance targets established under 23 CFR 490.209(a) have been met or the actual outcome is better than the baseline performance. The baseline performance is the 5-year average ending with the year prior to the establishment of the target.

The Basis for Target and Additional Comments are provided by the State in their HSIP Annual Report and have not been edited by FHWA. Any questions about individual State reports should be directed to the respective State DOT. For additional information about each State's HSIP, the complete reports are available at https://highways.dot.gov/safety/hsip/reporting.

More information and resources on Safety Performance Management are available at https://highways.dot.gov/safety/hsip/spm/safety-performance-management-safety-pm-overview.

All State data used to populate the State Highway Safety Reports for 2021 are available for download at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tpm/reporting/state/tpm_dashboard_data.zip.

• 

  Number of Fatalities

• Number of Fatalities	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
  Annual	979	1,020	989	1,036	1,006	1,066	1,198
  5-Year Average					1,006.0	1,023.4	1,059.0
  Target (5-Year Average)							1,005.0	1,061.0	1,119.0

• Basis for Number of Fatalities Target

  • 2021 Target
  • 2022 Target
  • 2023 Target

  The target of 1005.0 traffic fatalities was established after thorough analysis of historic data and trend line projections. For this measure, a polynomial order 2 trend analyses was used to determine projected 2020 data, then using this projection the state was able to determine a reasonable target for the five year period ending in 2021. By examining planned projects and current safety initiatives (in the fields of education, enforcement, and engineering), the state was able to calculate an expected decrease in the number of traffic fatalities during calendar year 2021. This target supports the SHSP goal of eliminating traffic fatalities in SC.

  The target of 1061.0 traffic fatalities was established after thorough analysis of historic data and trend line projections. For this measure, a polynomial order 2 trend analysis was used to determine projected 2021 data, then using this projection the state was able to determine a reasonable target for the five year period ending in 2022. By examining planned projects and current safety initiatives (in the fields of education, enforcement, and engineering), the state was able to calculate an expected decrease from the increasing trend in the number of traffic fatalities during calendar year 2022. This target supports the SHSP goal of eliminating traffic fatalities in SC.

  The target of 1,119.0 traffic fatalities was established after thorough analysis of historic data and trend line projections. For this measure, a polynomial order 2 trend analysis was used to determine projected 2022 data, then using this projection the state was able to determine a reasonable target for the five year period ending in 2023. By examining planned projects and current safety initiatives (in the fields of education, enforcement, and engineering), the state was able to calculate an expected decrease from the increasing trend in the number of traffic fatalities during calendar year 2023. This target supports the SHSP goal of reducing traffic fatalities in SC.

  
  

• Data Sources:
  Fatalities: 2015-2020 Final FARS, 2021 FARS Annual Report File
  Targets: 2020-2022 South Carolina HSIP Annual Reports

• 

  Fatality Rate (per 100 million VMT)

• Fatality Rate (per 100 million VMT)	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
  Annual	1.89	1.87	1.78	1.82	1.74	1.98	2.08
  5-Year Average					1.820	1.838	1.880
  Target (5-Year Average)							1.760	1.820	1.940

• Basis for Fatality Rate Target

  • 2021 Target
  • 2022 Target
  • 2023 Target

  The target of 1.670 as the fatality rate was established by using the projected fatality number in 2021 along with an expected 3% increase in vehicle miles traveled during that year. As part of the SHSP, reducing the fatality rate remains a valuable target for the state.

  The target of 1.820 as the fatality rate was established by using the projected fatality number in 2022 along with an expected 2% increase in vehicle miles traveled during that year. As part of the SHSP, reducing the fatality rate remains a valuable target for the state.

  The target of 1.940 as the fatality rate was established by using the projected fatality number in 2023 along with an expected 2% increase in vehicle miles traveled during that year. As part of the SHSP, reducing the fatality rate remains a valuable target for the state.

  
  

• Data Sources:
  Fatalities: 2015-2020 Final FARS, 2021 FARS Annual Report File
  VMT: 2015-2021 FHWA Highway Statistics Series, VM-2 Table
  Targets: 2020-2022 South Carolina HSIP Annual Reports

• 

  Number of Serious Injuries

• Number of Serious Injuries	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
  Annual	3,092	3,049	2,851	2,642	3,237	2,607	2,974
  5-Year Average					2,974.2	2,877.2	2,862.2
  Target (5-Year Average)							2,950.0	2,850.0	2,868.0

• Basis for Number of Serious Injuries Target

  • 2021 Target
  • 2022 Target
  • 2023 Target

  A target of 2950.0 serious injuries was established after thorough analysis of historic data and trend line projections. For this measure, a polynomial order 2 trend analyses was used to determine projected 2020 data, then using this projection the state was able to determine a reasonable target for the five year period ending in 2021. By examining planned projects and current safety initiatives (in the fields of education, enforcement, and engineering), the state was able to calculate an expected decrease in serious injuries during calendar year 2021. This target supports the SHSP goal of reducing serious injuries that resulted from a traffic collision.

  A target of 2850.0 serious injuries was established after thorough analysis of historic data and trend line projections. For this measure, a polynomial order 2 trend analysis was used to determine projected 2021 data, then using this projection the state was able to determine a reasonable target for the five year period ending in 2022. By examining planned projects and current safety initiatives (in the fields of education, enforcement, and engineering), the state was able to calculate an expected decrease in from the increasing trend in the number serious injuries during calendar year 2022. This target supports the SHSP goal of reducing serious injuries that resulted from a traffic collision.

  A target of 2,868.0 serious injuries was established after thorough analysis of historic data and trend line projections. For this measure, a polynomial order 2 trend analysis was used to determine projected 2022 data, then using this projection the state was able to determine a reasonable target for the five year period ending in 2023. By examining planned projects and current safety initiatives (in the fields of education, enforcement, and engineering), the state was able to calculate an expected decrease in from the increasing trend in the number serious injuries during calendar year 2023. This target supports the SHSP goal of reducing serious injuries that resulted from a traffic collision.

  
  

• Data Sources:
  Serious Injuries: 2022 South Carolina HSIP Annual Report
  Targets: 2020-2022 South Carolina HSIP Annual Reports

• 

  Rate of Serious Injuries (per 100 million VMT)

• Rate of Serious Injuries (per 100 million VMT)	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
  Annual	5.98	5.59	5.14	4.65	5.59	4.83	5.17
  5-Year Average					5.390	5.160	5.076
  Target (5-Year Average)							5.350	4.892	4.960

• Basis for Serious Injury Rate Target

  • 2021 Target
  • 2022 Target
  • 2023 Target

  The target of 5.350 as the serious injury rate was established by using the projected serious injury number in 2021 along with an expected 1% increase in vehicle miles traveled during that year. As part of the SHSP, reducing the serious injury rate remains a valuable target for the state.

  The target of 4.892 as the serious injury rate was established by using the projected serious injury number in 2022 along with an expected 2% increase in vehicle miles traveled during that year. As part of the SHSP, reducing the serious injury rate remains a valuable target for the state.

  The target of 4.960 as the serious injury rate was established by using the projected serious injury number in 2023 along with an expected 2% increase in vehicle miles traveled during that year. As part of the SHSP, reducing the serious injury rate remains a valuable target for the state.

  
  

• Data Sources:
  Serious Injuries: 2022 South Carolina HSIP Annual Report
  VMT: 2015-2021 FHWA Highway Statistics Series, VM-2 Table
  Targets: 2020-2022 South Carolina HSIP Annual Reports

• 

  Number of Non-Motorized Fatalities and Serious Injuries

• Number of Non-Motorized Fatalities and Serious Injuries	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
  Annual	345	412	433	439	458	462	502
  5-Year Average					417.4	440.8	458.8
  Target (5-Year Average)							440.0	500.0	485.0

• Basis for Number of Non-Motorized Fatalities and Serious Injuries Target

  • 2021 Target
  • 2022 Target
  • 2023 Target

  The target of 440.0 non-motorized fatalities and serious injuries was established after thorough analysis of historic data and trend line projections. For this measure, a polynomial order 2 trend analyses was used to determine projected 2020 data, then using this projection the state was able to determine a reasonable target for the five year period ending in 2021. By examining planned projects and current safety initiatives (in the fields of education, enforcement, and engineering), the state was able to calculate an expected decrease in fatalities and serious injuries involving pedestrians and bicyclists during calendar year 2021.

  The target of 500.0 non-motorized fatalities and serious injuries was established after thorough analysis of historic data and trend line projections. For this measure, a polynomial order 2 trend analysis was used to determine projected 2021 data, then using this projection the state was able to determine a reasonable target for the five year period ending in 2022. By examining planned projects and current safety initiatives (in the fields of education, enforcement, and engineering), the state was able to calculate an expected decrease in the decreasing trend in the number in fatalities and serious injuries involving pedestrians and bicyclists during calendar year 2022.

  The target of 485.0 non-motorized fatalities and serious injuries was established after thorough analysis of historic data and trend line projections. For this measure, a polynomial order 2 trend analysis was used to determine projected 2022 data, then using this projection the state was able to determine a reasonable target for the five year period ending in 2023. By examining planned projects and current safety initiatives (in the fields of education, enforcement, and engineering), the state was able to calculate an expected decrease in the decreasing trend in the number in fatalities and serious injuries involving pedestrians and bicyclists during calendar year 2023.

  
  

• Data Sources:
  Fatalities: 2015-2020 Final FARS, 2021 FARS Annual Report File
  Serious Injuries: 2022 South Carolina HSIP Annual Report
  Targets: 2020-2022 South Carolina HSIP Annual Reports

Additional Comments

N/A

Safety Performance Target Assessment

PLEASE NOTE: Each State’s safety performance target assessment is based on its own State-specific target methodology and program philosophy. Therefore, conclusions should not be drawn based only on the information in the Safety Performance Target Assessment Summary table. For example, the State may have set aggressive targets, and not met those targets, while another State may have set more easily attainable targets, and met those targets. FHWA understands that each State’s safety program is unique and therefore does not prescribe a methodology for States to set targets. States have the flexibility to use the methodology they deem most appropriate when setting their safety performance targets.