Annual Highway Report: S.C. highways most deadly in the nation.

• Position: Report

As highways run black with vehicles returning home from Thanksgiving holidays, the latest report from the nonprofit think tank Reason Foundation reminds drivers to take it easy: South Carolina highways have the highest overall fatality rate in the country, despite having the sixth most cost-effective road network

Ranking 47th, the Palmetto State also claims one of the highest rural fatality rates, according to the think tanks' Annual Highway Report.

The report also says South Carolina is 31st place in terms of having structurally deficient bridges, 20th in urban interstate pavement condition, 15th in the nation for traffic congestion and 14th for rural interstate pavement condition.

Despite these results, South Carolina has historically ranked in as having one of the best overall highway systems and in the latest report, improved from 2019's 20th overall position by 14 points due to rural interstate pavement and arterial pavement improvements, according to a news release. The Palmetto State is also the fifth best state in terms of overall highway performance.

South Carolina's state-controlled highway mileage makes it the fifth largest highway system in the country, according to a news release. The state is third highest spender per mile and the fifth highest spender in terms of capital bridge costs per mile.

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