North Carolina Road Fatality Data
NC fatality rate: 14.4 per 100K population. Trend: ↓ Decreasing (-4.3%)
Fatality Rate
14.4
per 100K population
Total Fatalities
13,557
2015-2023
2023 Fatalities
1,561
VMT Rate
1.3
per 100M VMT
Cause Breakdown
Alcohol-Impaired
24.5%
3,326 fatalities
Speeding
30.2%
4,097 fatalities
Pedestrian
14.7%
1,994 fatalities
Unrestrained
39.2%
5,312 fatalities
Distracted
7.5%
1,016 fatalities
Weather-Related
21.6%
2,925 fatalities
Nighttime
45.8%
6,203 fatalities
Cyclist
1.6%
222 fatalities
Rural vs. Urban
Rural Fatalities
7,758
57.2%
Urban Fatalities
5,786
42.7%
Yearly Fatality Trend
| Year | Fatalities | Rate | Alcohol | Speeding | Pedestrian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 1,379 | 12.7 | 442 | 534 | 182 |
| 2016 | 1,450 | 13.4 | 428 | 545 | 200 |
| 2017 | 1,412 | 13.0 | 400 | 401 | 198 |
| 2018 | 1,436 | 13.3 | 400 | 304 | 224 |
| 2019 | 1,457 | 13.4 | 320 | 302 | 221 |
| 2020 | 1,538 | 14.2 | 378 | 451 | 230 |
| 2021 | 1,693 | 15.6 | 393 | 447 | 254 |
| 2022 | 1,631 | 15.1 | 292 | 485 | 256 |
| 2023 | 1,561 | 14.4 | 273 | 628 | 229 |
Counties in North Carolina (100)
| County | Total Fatalities | Latest Year | Avg Annual | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MECKLENBURG (119) | 858 | 97 | 95.3 | ↑ increasing |
| WAKE (183) | 625 | 102 | 69.4 | ↑ increasing |
| GUILFORD (81) | 518 | 54 | 57.6 | ↑ increasing |
| ROBESON (155) | 432 | 65 | 48.0 | ↑ increasing |
| CUMBERLAND (51) | 399 | 52 | 44.3 | ↑ increasing |
| FORSYTH (67) | 340 | 51 | 37.8 | ↑ increasing |
| JOHNSTON (101) | 274 | 32 | 30.4 | ↑ increasing |
| BUNCOMBE (21) | 267 | 47 | 29.7 | ↑ increasing |
| DAVIDSON (57) | 245 | 33 | 27.2 | ↑ increasing |
| DURHAM (63) | 240 | 38 | 26.7 | ↑ increasing |
| HARNETT (85) | 235 | 30 | 26.1 | ↑ increasing |
| RANDOLPH (151) | 206 | 33 | 22.9 | ↑ increasing |
| PITT (147) | 203 | 33 | 22.6 | ↑ increasing |
| GASTON (71) | 200 | 26 | 22.2 | ↑ increasing |
| NASH (127) | 195 | 21 | 21.7 | ↑ increasing |
| IREDELL (97) | 193 | 22 | 21.4 | ↑ increasing |
| UNION (179) | 192 | 21 | 21.3 | ↑ increasing |
| CABARRUS (25) | 188 | 26 | 20.9 | ↑ increasing |
| CATAWBA (35) | 187 | 25 | 20.8 | ↑ increasing |
| ONSLOW (133) | 187 | 24 | 20.8 | ↑ increasing |
Showing top 20 of 100 counties by total fatalities.
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Data covers 2015-2023. Fatality rates are per 100,000 population. This information is for research and informational purposes only.