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Fatal car crashes in North Carolina, county by county

From 2020 through 2024, 8,058 people died in 7,453 crashes on North Carolina roads. That is 14.6 deaths a year for every 100,000 residents, above the US rate of 12.1, and the 18th highest rate of the 50 states and DC.

Mecklenburg County had the most deaths (556). The road stretch with the most fatal crashes was I-485 (Outer Hwy) in Mecklenburg County (60). In 2024, 1,619 people were killed, 5% more than in 2020.

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020-2024 · checked October 2, 2026

8,058

people killed in crashes, 2020-2024

14.6

deaths a year per 100,000 residents, 18th highest of 51 (US 12.1)

1,233

pedestrians killed, 15% of deaths (US 18%)

33%

of fatal crashes were speeding-related (US 28%)

Death rate by county

Deaths a year per 100,000 residents, 2020-2024. Rural counties often rank highest: fewer people, faster roads and longer waits for an ambulance.

Alamance County: 13.1 per 100,000 a year, 120 deathsAlexander County: 19.6 per 100,000 a year, 36 deathsAnson County: 38.3 per 100,000 a year, 43 deathsAshe County: 14.7 per 100,000 a year, 20 deathsAvery County: 13.5 per 100,000 a year, 12 deathsBeaufort County: 16.6 per 100,000 a year, 37 deathsBertie County: 28.3 per 100,000 a year, 24 deathsBladen County: 36.3 per 100,000 a year, 54 deathsBrunswick County: 13.4 per 100,000 a year, 112 deathsBuncombe County: 13.6 per 100,000 a year, 190 deathsBurke County: 14.7 per 100,000 a year, 65 deathsCabarrus County: 10.3 per 100,000 a year, 126 deathsCaldwell County: 17.1 per 100,000 a year, 69 deathsCarteret County: 15.7 per 100,000 a year, 55 deathsCaswell County: 19.7 per 100,000 a year, 22 deathsCatawba County: 16.9 per 100,000 a year, 141 deathsChatham County: 17.4 per 100,000 a year, 73 deathsCherokee County: 15.1 per 100,000 a year, 23 deathsCleveland County: 18.6 per 100,000 a year, 95 deathsColumbus County: 40 per 100,000 a year, 100 deathsCraven County: 12.7 per 100,000 a year, 66 deathsCumberland County: 16 per 100,000 a year, 270 deathsCurrituck County: 12.4 per 100,000 a year, 20 deathsDare County: 12.6 per 100,000 a year, 24 deathsDavidson County: 18.4 per 100,000 a year, 164 deathsDavie County: 14.5 per 100,000 a year, 33 deathsDuplin County: 41.6 per 100,000 a year, 105 deathsDurham County: 8.9 per 100,000 a year, 153 deathsEdgecombe County: 25.2 per 100,000 a year, 62 deathsForsyth County: 11.1 per 100,000 a year, 220 deathsFranklin County: 22.1 per 100,000 a year, 88 deathsGaston County: 11.2 per 100,000 a year, 135 deathsGates County: 38.8 per 100,000 a year, 20 deathsGraham County: 39.1 per 100,000 a year, 16 deathsGranville County: 21.8 per 100,000 a year, 67 deathsGreene County: 17.4 per 100,000 a year, 18 deathsGuilford County: 12.4 per 100,000 a year, 346 deathsHalifax County: 37.9 per 100,000 a year, 89 deathsHarnett County: 21.1 per 100,000 a year, 154 deathsHaywood County: 16.8 per 100,000 a year, 53 deathsHenderson County: 10.9 per 100,000 a year, 66 deathsHertford County: 35.5 per 100,000 a year, 34 deathsHoke County: 26.7 per 100,000 a year, 74 deathsIredell County: 11.4 per 100,000 a year, 118 deathsJackson County: 15.5 per 100,000 a year, 35 deathsJohnston County: 15.1 per 100,000 a year, 188 deathsJones County: 27.5 per 100,000 a year, 13 deathsLee County: 19 per 100,000 a year, 65 deathsLenoir County: 26.4 per 100,000 a year, 73 deathsLincoln County: 11.3 per 100,000 a year, 55 deathsMcDowell County: 16.3 per 100,000 a year, 37 deathsMacon County: 9.8 per 100,000 a year, 19 deathsMadison County: 21.5 per 100,000 a year, 24 deathsMartin County: 21.4 per 100,000 a year, 23 deathsMecklenburg County: 9.2 per 100,000 a year, 556 deathsMitchell County: 17.3 per 100,000 a year, 13 deathsMontgomery County: 38.7 per 100,000 a year, 51 deathsMoore County: 18.6 per 100,000 a year, 101 deathsNash County: 21.4 per 100,000 a year, 105 deathsNew Hanover County: 8.3 per 100,000 a year, 101 deathsNorthampton County: 44.6 per 100,000 a year, 37 deathsOnslow County: 11.9 per 100,000 a year, 127 deathsOrange County: 11.8 per 100,000 a year, 90 deathsPamlico County: 20.7 per 100,000 a year, 13 deathsPasquotank County: 18.8 per 100,000 a year, 39 deathsPender County: 18 per 100,000 a year, 63 deathsPerquimans County: 20.8 per 100,000 a year, 14 deathsPerson County: 17.4 per 100,000 a year, 35 deathsPitt County: 16.6 per 100,000 a year, 150 deathsPolk County: 19.7 per 100,000 a year, 20 deathsRandolph County: 19.4 per 100,000 a year, 144 deathsRichmond County: 27.1 per 100,000 a year, 57 deathsRobeson County: 49.4 per 100,000 a year, 293 deathsRockingham County: 18.2 per 100,000 a year, 85 deathsRowan County: 18 per 100,000 a year, 138 deathsRutherford County: 22.9 per 100,000 a year, 75 deathsSampson County: 32.4 per 100,000 a year, 98 deathsScotland County: 47.8 per 100,000 a year, 81 deathsStanly County: 13.4 per 100,000 a year, 45 deathsStokes County: 14.4 per 100,000 a year, 33 deathsSurry County: 19 per 100,000 a year, 68 deathsSwain County: 21.5 per 100,000 a year, 15 deathsTransylvania County: 7 per 100,000 a year, 12 deathsUnion County: 8.7 per 100,000 a year, 114 deathsVance County: 25 per 100,000 a year, 53 deathsWake County: 7 per 100,000 a year, 432 deathsWarren County: 38.8 per 100,000 a year, 37 deathsWatauga County: 8.7 per 100,000 a year, 24 deathsWayne County: 19.6 per 100,000 a year, 118 deathsWilkes County: 22.1 per 100,000 a year, 73 deathsWilson County: 22.8 per 100,000 a year, 91 deathsYadkin County: 27.9 per 100,000 a year, 53 deathsYancey County: 13.7 per 100,000 a year, 13 deaths
under 1010-1515-2020-3030+ too few crashes

The most dangerous roads in North Carolina

Fatal crashes by road within each county, 2020-2024. A long interstate shows up once per county it crosses.

#RoadWhereFatal crashesDeaths
1 I-485 Outer Hwy Mecklenburg County, NC 60 70
2 I-77 Mecklenburg County, NC 40 42
3 I-85 Jeff Gordon Expressway Mecklenburg County, NC 39 43
4 US-401 Raeford Rd Cumberland County, NC 37 39
5 I-40 US-421 Guilford County, NC 32 41
6 US-70 E Market St Johnston County, NC 32 35
7 US-29 N Ohenry Blvd Guilford County, NC 30 31
8 US-29 N Tryon St Mecklenburg County, NC 29 31
9 US-401 Louisburg Rd Wake County, NC 27 32
10 I-95 Halifax County, NC 27 29
11 US-25 Hendersonville Rd Buncombe County, NC 27 27
12 I-95 Johnston County, NC 25 29
13 I-40 Dan K Moore Fwy Wake County, NC 25 28
14 US-17 Ocean Hwy Brunswick County, NC 25 27
15 SR-24 Albemarle Rd Mecklenburg County, NC 23 24

Deaths by year

Every North Carolina county

93 counties with 10 or more fatal crashes in five years, by deaths. 7 more had fewer than 10 and are listed after the table.

CountyDeaths 2020-24Per 100K a yearPedestriansPopulation
Mecklenburg County 556 9.2 146 1,206,285
Wake County 432 7.0 102 1,232,444
Guilford County 346 12.4 82 558,816
Robeson County 293 49.4 39 118,624
Cumberland County 270 16.0 72 338,430
Forsyth County 220 11.1 37 398,143
Buncombe County 190 13.6 39 279,210
Johnston County 188 15.1 23 249,794
Davidson County 164 18.4 20 177,809
Harnett County 154 21.1 21 146,096
Durham County 153 8.9 29 343,628
Pitt County 150 16.6 27 180,783
Randolph County 144 19.4 24 148,389
Catawba County 141 16.9 20 167,054
Rowan County 138 18.0 19 153,384
Gaston County 135 11.2 22 242,010
Onslow County 127 11.9 24 212,954
Cabarrus County 126 10.3 26 244,925
Alamance County 120 13.1 21 183,040
Iredell County 118 11.4 17 206,361
Wayne County 118 19.6 13 120,338
Union County 114 8.7 10 263,386
Brunswick County 112 13.4 15 167,112
Duplin County 105 41.6 15 50,539
Nash County 105 21.4 11 97,990
Moore County 101 18.6 6 108,417
New Hanover County 101 8.3 28 243,333
Columbus County 100 40.0 9 50,054
Sampson County 98 32.4 7 60,404
Cleveland County 95 18.6 13 102,194
Wilson County 91 22.8 15 79,958
Orange County 90 11.8 18 152,877
Halifax County 89 37.9 9 46,992
Franklin County 88 22.1 6 79,771
Rockingham County 85 18.2 11 93,517
Scotland County 81 47.8 8 33,898
Rutherford County 75 22.9 10 65,587
Hoke County 74 26.7 8 55,382
Chatham County 73 17.4 6 83,874
Lenoir County 73 26.4 10 55,332
Wilkes County 73 22.1 8 66,186
Caldwell County 69 17.1 6 80,739
Surry County 68 19.0 8 71,547
Granville County 67 21.8 5 61,544
Craven County 66 12.7 12 104,167
Henderson County 66 10.9 10 120,771
Burke County 65 14.7 10 88,545
Lee County 65 19.0 7 68,537
Pender County 63 18.0 10 70,077
Edgecombe County 62 25.2 4 49,124
Richmond County 57 27.1 7 41,990
Carteret County 55 15.7 7 70,259
Lincoln County 55 11.3 4 97,611
Bladen County 54 36.3 5 29,777
Haywood County 53 16.8 7 63,048
Vance County 53 25.0 6 42,337
Yadkin County 53 27.9 4 37,995
Montgomery County 51 38.7 5 26,364
Stanly County 45 13.4 3 67,326
Anson County 43 38.3 4 22,432
Pasquotank County 39 18.8 3 41,418
Beaufort County 37 16.6 4 44,576
McDowell County 37 16.3 3 45,269
Northampton County 37 44.6 4 16,580
Warren County 37 38.8 3 19,081
Alexander County 36 19.6 1 36,693
Jackson County 35 15.5 2 45,281
Person County 35 17.4 2 40,143
Hertford County 34 35.5 2 19,169
Davie County 33 14.5 1 45,383
Stokes County 33 14.4 3 45,857
Bertie County 24 28.3 2 16,939
Dare County 24 12.6 7 38,183
Madison County 24 21.5 2 22,352
Watauga County 24 8.7 3 54,997
Cherokee County 23 15.1 1 30,373
Martin County 23 21.4 3 21,523
Caswell County 22 19.7 2 22,363
Ashe County 20 14.7 0 27,266
Currituck County 20 12.4 3 32,278
Gates County 20 38.8 1 10,299
Polk County 20 19.7 1 20,320
Macon County 19 9.8 1 38,717
Greene County 18 17.4 1 20,671
Graham County 16 39.1 0 8,179
Swain County 15 21.5 1 13,945
Perquimans County 14 20.8 1 13,460
Jones County 13 27.5 1 9,462
Mitchell County 13 17.3 0 15,030
Pamlico County 13 20.7 0 12,550
Yancey County 13 13.7 1 18,993
Avery County 12 13.5 0 17,811
Transylvania County 12 7.0 1 34,103

Fewer than 10 fatal crashes, 2020-2024: Alleghany County (9 deaths), Camden County (5 deaths), Chowan County (6 deaths), Clay County (10 deaths), Hyde County (3 deaths), Tyrrell County (9 deaths), Washington County (5 deaths).

Cities

CityDeaths 2020-24Per 100K a yearPedestriansPopulation
Charlotte 516 10.9 131 943,476
Greensboro 209 13.6 67 307,381

What was involved

FactorNorth CarolinaShareUS
Speeding was a factor
a driver coded by police as speeding, racing or too fast for conditions		 2,483 33% 28%
A driver had been drinking
police reported alcohol involvement for at least one driver		 1,754 24% 26%
A large truck was involved
a truck over 10,000 lbs		 844 11% 13%
Hit-and-run
a driver left the scene		 440 6% 7%
Pedestrians killed
share of all deaths		 1,233 15% 18%
Motorcyclists killed
share of all deaths		 1,091 14% 15%
Bicyclists killed
share of all deaths		 148 2% 3%
Teens (15-19) killed
share of all deaths		 549 7% 7%

After a crash in North Carolina

  1. Get the crash report

    Crash reports taken by city police and sheriffs are forwarded to DMV, and local departments generally send people to the NCDMV for a certified copy; for example Pittsboro Police say certified crash reports are available from the NCDMV only and point to form TR-67A.

    How to get a North Carolina crash report

  2. Know your deadline

    North Carolina gives you three years to file a personal injury lawsuit (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(5) and (16)). If a city, county or state vehicle was involved: A claim against the State under the Tort Claims Act must be filed with the Industrial Commission within three years after it accrues (two years after death for wrongful death). No pre-suit notice period was found for cities and counties.

    Work out your date

  3. Who pays

    North Carolina is an at-fault state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the injuries and damage.

    North Carolina car accident laws

  4. If you were partly at fault

    If you are even slightly (1%) at fault for the crash, North Carolina bars you from recovering from the other driver (some exceptions, such as last clear chance and gross negligence by the defendant).

    The rule and its statute

  5. The other driver’s minimum coverage

    The legal minimum liability coverage in North Carolina is $50,000 per injured person, $100,000 per crash and $50,000 for property (50/100/50).

    Every state’s minimums

Check your deadline and a rough claim range

A filing date and a rough value range for North Carolina. Both take under a minute.

Check my deadline Estimate my claim