Fatal crashes in North Carolina
In 2024, 1,619 people died in 1,509 fatal crashes on North Carolina roads, 2.7% more than in 2023. That is about 4 deaths a day, and 4.1% of all road deaths in the United States.
North Carolina ranks 4th of 51 by road deaths in 2024, and 15th by deaths per resident. Every state in 2024.
Road deaths in North Carolina since 1975
Road deaths in North Carolina peaked in 2021 at 1,693; 2024's 1,619 is 4% below that. The lowest year was 2011 with 1,230. 2024 is 4% above 2000 and 8% above 1975.
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,619 | 1,509 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | 1,577 | 1,465 | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 1,631 | 1,501 | -3.7% |
| 2021 | 1,693 | 1,563 | +10.1% |
| 2020 | 1,538 | 1,415 | +5.6% |
| 2019 | 1,457 | 1,358 | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 1,436 | 1,321 | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 1,412 | 1,306 | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 1,450 | 1,348 | +5.1% |
| 2015 | 1,379 | 1,275 | +7.4% |
Show 1975 to 2014
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1,284 | 1,188 | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 1,290 | 1,188 | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 1,299 | 1,229 | +5.6% |
| 2011 | 1,230 | 1,143 | -6.8% |
| 2010 | 1,320 | 1,218 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 1,313 | 1,207 | -8.1% |
| 2008 | 1,428 | 1,319 | -14.8% |
| 2007 | 1,676 | 1,515 | +7.9% |
| 2006 | 1,554 | 1,424 | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 1,547 | 1,418 | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 1,573 | 1,417 | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 1,553 | 1,396 | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 1,576 | 1,427 | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 1,530 | 1,360 | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 1,557 | 1,408 | +3.5% |
| 1999 | 1,505 | 1,350 | -5.7% |
| 1998 | 1,596 | 1,433 | +7.6% |
| 1997 | 1,483 | 1,290 | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 1,494 | 1,329 | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 1,448 | 1,305 | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 1,431 | 1,254 | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 1,389 | 1,228 | +9.8% |
| 1992 | 1,265 | 1,124 | -7.6% |
| 1991 | 1,369 | 1,213 | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 1,385 | 1,250 | -5.8% |
| 1989 | 1,471 | 1,321 | -6.5% |
| 1988 | 1,573 | 1,400 | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 1,584 | 1,416 | -3.8% |
| 1986 | 1,647 | 1,489 | +11.1% |
| 1985 | 1,482 | 1,332 | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 1,450 | 1,291 | +17.5% |
| 1983 | 1,234 | 1,083 | -5.3% |
| 1982 | 1,303 | 1,168 | -11.7% |
| 1981 | 1,475 | 1,319 | -1.9% |
| 1980 | 1,503 | 1,327 | -1.6% |
| 1979 | 1,527 | 1,352 | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 1,492 | 1,331 | +4.5% |
| 1977 | 1,428 | 1,251 | -4.9% |
| 1976 | 1,502 | 1,304 | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 1,506 | 1,343 | No data |
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them. 2024 is the latest year NHTSA has published; the 2024 figures are from the Annual Report File and may be revised when NHTSA releases the final file. The 2025 file is expected in spring 2027.
The deadliest roads and most dangerous highways in North Carolina
I-40 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024: 338, with 377 deaths. The 20 roads listed held 24% of all fatal crashes in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024; 5 are interstates, 11 US routes, 4 state highways. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (73 crashes). Over 2022 to 2024 alone, US 70 had the most, 113 against 110 on I-40. Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page. Every numbered road in North Carolina, ranked.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-40 | 338 | 377 | 110 | Guilford, Wake, Buncombe |
| 2 | I-85 | 309 | 337 | 106 | Mecklenburg, Davidson, Gaston |
| 3 | US 70 | 296 | 311 | 113 | Johnston, Wake, Carteret |
| 4 | US 64 | 269 | 291 | 75 | Nash, Wake, Randolph |
| 5 | US 74 | 225 | 244 | 74 | Union, Columbus, Mecklenburg |
| 6 | US 421 | 194 | 218 | 65 | New Hanover, Harnett, Wilkes |
| 7 | I-95 | 189 | 221 | 73 | Johnston, Robeson, Halifax |
| 8 | US 401 | 169 | 186 | 51 | Wake, Cumberland, Hoke |
| 9 | US 17 | 167 | 183 | 58 | Brunswick, Onslow, Craven |
| 10 | State Highway 24 | 157 | 165 | 53 | Mecklenburg, Carteret, Cumberland |
| 11 | US 29 | 143 | 154 | 55 | Mecklenburg, Guilford, Rowan |
| 12 | US 158 | 138 | 158 | 39 | Currituck, Forsyth, Dare |
| 13 | I-77 | 128 | 138 | 40 | Mecklenburg, Iredell, Yadkin |
| 14 | State Highway 87 | 120 | 128 | 43 | Alamance, Cumberland, Bladen |
| 15 | US 1 | 118 | 131 | 47 | Wake, Moore, Lee |
| 16 | I-485 | 97 | 109 | 39 | Mecklenburg |
| 17 | State Highway 150 | 90 | 93 | 26 | Davidson, Forsyth, Iredell |
| 18 | US 321 | 88 | 92 | 33 | Caldwell, Gaston, Lincoln |
| 19 | US 19 | 87 | 97 | 32 | Buncombe, Haywood, Cherokee |
| 20 | State Highway 55 | 86 | 98 | 26 | Wayne, Sampson, Craven |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every numbered road in North Carolina as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/north-carolina/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in North Carolina
Mecklenburg County had the most fatal crashes in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024: 992, with 1,059 deaths. Mecklenburg, Wake and Guilford counties together held 16% of fatal crashes in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024; the 20 listed held 51%. 100 counties in North Carolina recorded a fatal crash in those years; the 20 with the most are listed, with deaths per 100,000 residents where the county had 10 or more deaths in 2024.
Per resident, Robeson County has the highest rate in North Carolina: 42.6 road deaths per 100,000 residents a year from 2015 to 2024, against 14.5 for the state as a whole. Counties with fewer than 10,000 residents are hatched rather than shaded: a few crashes on a highway through a small county make a rate that says more about its population than its roads.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | Deaths per 100,000100K, 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mecklenburg County | 115 | 992 | 1,059 | 10.0 |
| 2 | Wake County | 76 | 718 | 772 | 6.7 |
| 3 | Guilford County | 70 | 607 | 649 | 13.2 |
| 4 | Robeson County | 37 | 474 | 531 | 38.8 |
| 5 | Cumberland County | 58 | 457 | 501 | 17.4 |
| 6 | Forsyth County | 39 | 394 | 419 | 9.8 |
| 7 | Buncombe County | 40 | 326 | 347 | 15.8 |
| 8 | Johnston County | 34 | 311 | 341 | 16.0 |
| 9 | Durham County | 30 | 285 | 296 | 9.0 |
| 10 | Davidson County | 30 | 282 | 306 | 18.6 |
| 11 | Harnett County | 33 | 267 | 293 | 24.0 |
| 12 | Gaston County | 37 | 267 | 277 | 15.3 |
| 13 | Randolph County | 28 | 250 | 261 | 19.5 |
| 14 | Pitt County | 22 | 241 | 261 | 14.4 |
| 15 | Iredell County | 26 | 227 | 238 | 13.1 |
| 16 | Catawba County | 22 | 224 | 237 | 13.2 |
| 17 | Rowan County | 32 | 224 | 233 | 20.9 |
| 18 | Onslow County | 19 | 219 | 231 | 8.9 |
| 19 | Cabarrus County | 22 | 218 | 235 | 9.4 |
| 20 | Union County | 24 | 215 | 232 | 9.1 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every county with a page as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/north-carolina/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in America: every county ranked nationally, and per resident
When fatal crashes happen in North Carolina
The heaviest slot is Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 573 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 9 pm to 10 pm; the worst month is October.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3.4 percent, 482 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 236 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 218 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 342 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 454 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 406 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.1 percent, 160 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 254 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 276 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 335 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 426 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 330 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.1 percent, 161 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 232 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 260 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 361 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 430 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 356 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.1 percent, 152 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 239 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 275 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 372 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 454 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 369 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.2 percent, 167 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 275 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 251 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 361 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 435 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 383 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.5 percent, 209 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 272 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 262 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 437 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 490 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 534 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.1 percent, 431 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 220 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 249 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 396 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 525 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 573 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan7.4%
- Feb6.8%
- Mar7.6%
- Apr8.3%
- May9.1%
- Jun8.9%
- Jul8.8%
- Aug8.2%
- Sep8.9%
- Oct9.2%
- Nov8.5%
- Dec8.2%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where fatal crashes happen in North Carolina: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
57% of fatal crashes in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024 were on rural roads, above the US share of 43%; 19% happened at or near an intersection, below the US share of 25%; 34% in the dark on unlit roads, above the US share of 28%. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| North Carolina | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 57% | 43% | above the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 19% | 25% | below the US share |
| In daylight | 50% | 46% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 12% | 21% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 34% | 28% | above the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Who died on North Carolina roads in 2024
Vehicle occupants were 68% of the 1,619 people killed on North Carolina roads in 2024; pedestrians 16% (264), motorcyclists 13% (212), cyclists 2.7% (44).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 1,094 | 68% |
| Pedestrians | 264 | 16% |
| Motorcyclists | 212 | 13% |
| Cyclists | 44 | 2.7% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 5 | 0.3% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes happen in North Carolina: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
A drinking driver was recorded in 25% of fatal crashes in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024, about the US share; speeding in 32%, above the US share of 27%; a hit-and-run in 5.1%, below the US share of 6.5%; a driver recorded as distracted in 6.3%, below the US share of 8.7%; 47% of passenger-vehicle occupants killed with belt use known were unbelted, below the US share of 49%.
Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024 with the factor recorded, against the US share. "A drinking driver" is NHTSA's drinking-driver flag (police-reported drinking or any positive alcohol test), not its "alcohol-impaired" figure. "Unbelted" is the share of passenger-vehicle occupants killed whose belt use is known (9,631 in North Carolina).
| North Carolina | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 25% | 26% | about the same as the US share |
| Speeding | 32% | 27% | above the US share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 6.3% | 8.7% | below the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 47% | 49% | below the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 5.1% | 6.5% | below the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 14% | 16% | below the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What the first harmful event was
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 40%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 34%, a pedestrian in 15%, a rollover in 5.0%. What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 5,685 | 40% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 4,842 | 34% |
| Pedestrian | 2,116 | 15% |
| Rollover | 700 | 5.0% |
| Other | 368 | 2.6% |
| Cyclist | 261 | 1.9% |
| Parked vehicle | 89 | 0.6% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Vehicles in fatal crashes in North Carolina
Cars were 42% of the 21,072 vehicles in fatal crashes in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024, SUVs 19%, pickups 16%, motorcycles 9.9%. Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type.
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 8,937 | 42% |
| SUVs | 3,904 | 19% |
| Pickups | 3,471 | 16% |
| Motorcycles | 2,085 | 9.9% |
| Vans | 933 | 4.4% |
| Truck-tractors | 893 | 4.2% |
| Other trucks | 781 | 3.7% |
| Buses | 68 | 0.3% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road deaths in North Carolina per resident and per mile driven
| North Carolina | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 14.7 | 11.5 | above the US rate |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015 to 2024 | 14.5 | 11.8 | above the US rate |
| Deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, 2024 | 1.24 | 1.19 | about the US rate |
Population 11,046,024 (Census Bureau estimate, 2024); 131,008 million vehicle-miles (FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, table VM-2). The only figures on this page not counted from FARS.
Questions about fatal crashes in North Carolina
- How many people died in car accidents in North Carolina in 2024?
- 1,619 people died in 1,509 fatal crashes on North Carolina roads in 2024, 2.7% more than in 2023. That is 14.7 deaths per 100,000 residents, against 11.5 across the United States. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- What is the deadliest road in North Carolina?
- I-40 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024: 338, with 377 deaths. I-85 was second with 309.
- Which county in North Carolina has the most fatal crashes?
- Mecklenburg County, with 992 fatal crashes and 1,059 deaths from 2015 to 2024, 115 of them in 2024.
- When do fatal crashes in North Carolina happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 573 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in North Carolina involved a drinking driver?
- 3,556 of 14,061 fatal crashes in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 25%, against 26% across the United States.
County pages for North Carolina
Every county in North Carolina with 30 or more fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, roads, hour and weekday, and deaths per 100,000 residents.
- Mecklenburg County 992
- Wake County 718
- Guilford County 607
- Robeson County 474
- Cumberland County 457
- Forsyth County 394
- Buncombe County 326
- Johnston County 311
- Durham County 285
- Davidson County 282
- Gaston County 267
- Harnett County 267
- Randolph County 250
- Pitt County 241
- Iredell County 227
- Catawba County 224
- Rowan County 224
- Onslow County 219
- Cabarrus County 218
- Union County 215
- Nash County 209
- New Hanover County 203
- Alamance County 200
- Brunswick County 198
- Cleveland County 193
- Wayne County 188
- Columbus County 180
- Sampson County 177
- Duplin County 162
- Moore County 162
- Pender County 146
- Rockingham County 145
- Wilson County 143
- Franklin County 139
- Halifax County 137
- Orange County 133
- Surry County 133
- Burke County 132
- Chatham County 127
- Lee County 127
- Granville County 126
- Craven County 123
- Hoke County 123
- Wilkes County 120
- Lincoln County 119
- Caldwell County 118
- Henderson County 118
- Lenoir County 118
- Scotland County 109
- Rutherford County 106
- Edgecombe County 104
- Haywood County 100
- Bladen County 96
- Richmond County 93
- Carteret County 87
- Stanly County 87
- Vance County 86
- Montgomery County 84
- Yadkin County 84
- Jackson County 69
- Beaufort County 68
- Stokes County 67
- Northampton County 66
- Davie County 65
- McDowell County 61
- Warren County 61
- Pasquotank County 58
- Anson County 57
- Bertie County 56
- Person County 56
- Alexander County 54
- Hertford County 54
- Watauga County 54
- Cherokee County 53
- Caswell County 50
- Macon County 50
- Martin County 45
- Madison County 44
- Currituck County 42
- Ashe County 39
- Dare County 39
- Greene County 35
- Graham County 34
- Polk County 34
- Gates County 33
- Transylvania County 32
Road pages for North Carolina
Every numbered road in North Carolina with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
- I-40
- I-485
- I-73
- I-77
- I-85
- I-95
- State Highway 11
- State Highway 130
- State Highway 150
- State Highway 16
- State Highway 210
- State Highway 211
- State Highway 24
- State Highway 27
- State Highway 41
- State Highway 49
- State Highway 55
- State Highway 87
- State Highway 903
- US 1
- US 117
- US 13
- US 15
- US 158
- US 17
- US 19
- US 220
- US 221
- US 23
- US 25
- US 258
- US 264
- US 29
- US 301
- US 321
- US 401
- US 421
- US 501
- US 52
- US 601
- US 64
- US 70
- US 74
Where the North Carolina numbers come from
Every figure on this page except the rates is counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the federal census of fatal crashes on US public roads, 2024 Annual Report File. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Road names are normalised ("I-35", "I 35" and "I-35/PURPLE HEART TRL" are the same road); frontage roads and ramps ("I35 FRONTAGE") are left out of road counts. Totals from the state highway department and news reports can differ by a few: they count from the state's own crash reports, often before every death within 30 days is known, while NHTSA's file is checked and revised once a year. Fields NHTSA coded as unknown show as "Not reported"; a share is only given over 20 crashes, otherwise "Not enough data". Rates per resident and per mile use Census Bureau population estimates and FHWA vehicle-miles, the only figures not counted from FARS. The full method.