State Highway 55 in North Carolina: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 86 fatal crashes on State Highway 55 in North Carolina killed 98 people, the 20th most of 540 numbered roads in North Carolina. In 2024 there were 9 fatal crashes and 10 deaths on the road.
A state highway running through 9 counties of North Carolina. All fatal crashes in North Carolina.
Deaths on State Highway 55 in North Carolina by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 9 | 10 |
| 2023 | 9 | 9 |
| 2022 | 8 | 9 |
| 2021 | 9 | 9 |
| 2020 | 14 | 20 |
| 2019 | 4 | 5 |
| 2018 | 10 | 12 |
| 2017 | 5 | 6 |
| 2016 | 9 | 9 |
| 2015 | 9 | 9 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on State Highway 55 in North Carolina: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Wayne County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 55 from 2015 to 2024: 20, with 27 deaths. Wayne, Sampson and Craven counties together held 52% of fatal crashes on State Highway 55 in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024; the 7 listed held 93%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wayne County | 2 | 20 | 27 |
| 2 | Sampson County | 1 | 13 | 15 |
| 3 | Craven County | 2 | 12 | 12 |
| 4 | Durham County | 1 | 11 | 11 |
| 5 | Pamlico County | 1 | 10 | 10 |
| 6 | Lenoir County | 1 | 9 | 10 |
| 7 | Wake County | 1 | 5 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on State Highway 55 in North Carolina
86 fatal crashes on State Highway 55 in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024 have a known time, too few for any one weekday and time of day to stand out. The worst hour is 5 pm to 6 pm; the worst month is July.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 4.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 7.0 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 5.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan3.5%
- Feb5.8%
- Mar11.6%
- Apr8.1%
- May5.8%
- Jun7.0%
- Jul15.1%
- Aug10.5%
- Sep5.8%
- Oct10.5%
- Nov4.7%
- Dec11.6%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on State Highway 55 in North Carolina first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 62%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 24%, a pedestrian in 12%, a cyclist in 1.2%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 53 | 62% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 21 | 24% |
| Pedestrian | 10 | 12% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 1.2% |
| Rollover | 1 | 1.2% |
| Parked vehicle | 0 | 0.0% |
| Other | 0 | 0.0% |
| 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
How fatal crashes on State Highway 55 in North Carolina compare with the state
The largest difference from North Carolina: from 2015 to 2024, 32% of occupants killed on State Highway 55 in North Carolina were unbelted, against 47% across North Carolina. Also above the North Carolina share: rural roads and intersections. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of North Carolina. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 86 crashes.
| State Highway 55 | North Carolina | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 69% | 57% | above the North Carolina share |
| At or near an intersection | 33% | 19% | above the North Carolina share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 26% | 34% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| A drinking driver | 17% | 25% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| Speeding | 27% | 32% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 9.3% | 6.3% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 32% | 47% | below the North Carolina share |
| Hit-and-run | 3.5% | 5.1% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| A motorcycle involved | 15% | 14% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 12% | 15% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on State Highway 55 in North Carolina
- How many fatal crashes have there been on State Highway 55 in North Carolina?
- 86 fatal crashes killed 98 people on State Highway 55 in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 9 fatal crashes and 10 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on State Highway 55 in North Carolina do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Wayne County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 55 from 2015 to 2024: 20, with 27 deaths. Sampson County was second with 13.
Other roads in North Carolina with a page
- 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
All fatal crashes in North Carolina, with every road ranked.
Where the State Highway 55 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as State Highway 55 in North Carolina (filed under 6 spellings, such as "SR-55", "SR-55 HARNETT-DUNN HWY", "SR-55 HWY", "SR-55 N ALSTON AVE"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.