Laurens County sits in the heart of Upstate South Carolina, bordered by Greenville County to the north, Spartanburg and Union counties to the northeast and east, Newberry and Saluda counties to the south, and Greenwood County to the west. The county's geography reflects the transition from Greenville's suburban sprawl in the northeast to the traditional rural Piedmont landscape in the southern and western portions.

I-385, which connects I-85 in Greenville to I-26 in the Midlands, passes through the northeastern corner of Laurens County through the Fountain Inn area. This interstate carries significant freight and commuter traffic and generates the county's highest-severity crash exposure. Fountain Inn, which straddles the Laurens-Greenville county line, has grown substantially as Greenville's suburban fringe has expanded southward.

Laurens, the county seat, is a traditional Upstate SC Piedmont city located in the central part of the county. Clinton, home to Presbyterian College, is located in the southwestern portion of the county near the I-26 corridor. US-76 is the primary east-west connector between these communities and the broader regional road network.

Laurens County's crash profile reflects both its position as a commuter county for Greenville and its rural character in the central and southern portions. I-385 generates the county's most serious crash exposure; US-76 and the rural network generate a consistent baseline of lower-speed but still serious rural road crashes.

South Carolina's modified comparative fault rule applies. Recovery is available as long as the injured party is found less than 51% at fault. Punitive damages are available for reckless or willful conduct.