Nineteen people died in vehicle crashes across Beaufort County in 2025, including five pedestrians, two bicyclists, and two motorcyclists.
Nearly one-third of those fatalities occurred on U.S. 21 in northern Beaufort County, while other high-traffic areas included the north end of Hilton Head Island, S.C. 170 (Okatie Highway), and U.S. 278 (Fording Island Road) near Bluffton.
The 2025 total marks a 27% decrease from 2024, when 26 people died in traffic collisions. That year included a five-vehicle crash on St. Helena Island in May, which resulted in five deaths.
Two of Beaufort County’s crashes in 2025 were hit-and-run incidents. One remains unsolved. In October, a 26-year-old Grays Hill man turned himself in after a fatal July crash that killed a bicyclist.
Statewide, South Carolina saw 914 reported road fatalities in 2025, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety. Officials noted that the number may rise as additional reports are processed.
Nationally, South Carolina ranks among the 10 states with the highest number of traffic deaths relative to population. However, Beaufort County has fewer fatalities than more populated areas like Charleston, Greenville, or Spartanburg counties.
To account for population differences, the Department of Public Safety calculates fatality rates based on the number of vehicle miles traveled. Under that metric, Beaufort and Jasper counties regularly rank as among the safer areas in the state.
State data show Beaufort County’s 2025 road deaths are among the lowest in the past decade.
A map of the 2025 fatal crashes in Beaufort County is available online. Markers identify crash details by date, circumstances, and prior news coverage. Pedestrian deaths are labeled in black, motorcyclists in brown, and bicyclists in yellow.
