Fatal crash profile · County
Traffic deaths in McDowell County, North Carolina
County in North Carolina · United States
- Deaths, 2024
- 6
- Fatal crashes
- 6
- Population
- 45.3K
In 2024, 6 people died in 6 fatal crashes in McDowell County, North Carolina. That was 25.0% fewer than in 2023 (8) and the fewest since 2020. The death rate was 13.2 per 100,000 residents, compared with 14.6 in North Carolina and 11.5 in the United States. McDowell County had the 68th most traffic deaths among North Carolina's counties. Between 2020 and 2024, 37 people died, an average of 7.4 a year. That rate is based on fewer than 20 deaths, so it can swing a lot from year to year. 17% of fatal crashes were speeding-related.
Deaths
Traffic deaths
13.2
deaths per 100,000 residents in 2024
- About the same as the rate in North Carolina: 14.6
- About 1.1 times the rate in the United States: 11.5
16.5
average deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2020–2024
- About the same as the average in North Carolina: 15.0
- About 1.3 times the average in the United States: 12.3
-25%
change in deaths from 2023 to 2024
8 deaths in 2023, 6 in 2024
- North Carolina: +3%
- The United States: -4%
| Category | Deaths | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 5 | 4 |
| 2021 | 8 | 8 |
| 2022 | 10 | 7 |
| 2023 | 8 | 7 |
| 2024 | 6 | 6 |
People who died within 30 days of a crash. A fatal crash can kill more than one person.
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| Category | Deaths per 100,000 |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 11.2 |
| 2021 | 18.0 |
| 2022 | 22.4 |
| 2023 | 17.8 |
| 2024 | 13.3 |
Uses Census population estimates, available from 2000.
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Road users
Who died
0%
of deaths were pedestrians
- About 5 percent of the share in North Carolina: 16%
- About 5 percent of the share in the United States: 18%
| Category | Deaths |
|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants and others | 5 |
| Pedestrians | 0 |
| Motorcyclists | 1 |
| Cyclists | 0 |
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| Type | Deaths | Share in McDowell County | Share in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pedestrians | 0 | 0% | 16% |
| Motorcyclists | 1 | 17% | 13% |
| Cyclists | 0 | 0% | 3% |
| Alcohol-impaired driving crashes | 1 | 17% | 28% |
| Speeding-related crashes | 1 | 17% | 42% |
Alcohol-impaired and speeding-related count everyone killed in those crashes, so a death can appear in more than one row.
Crash factors
Speeding, alcohol, night and weekend crashes
17%
of fatal crashes were speeding-related
- About 40 percent of the share in North Carolina: 41%
- About 60 percent of the share in the United States: 28%
0%
of fatal crashes involved a drinking driver
- About 5 percent of the share in North Carolina: 21%
- About 5 percent of the share in the United States: 25%
| Category | McDowell County | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speeding-related | 0.0% | 20.8% | 24.8% |
| Alcohol-involved | 16.7% | 40.8% | 28.1% |
| At night | 33.3% | 50.2% | 53.6% |
| At weekends | 0.0% | 31.4% | 32.6% |
Share of fatal crashes. Alcohol-involved means a police-reported drinking driver.
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Timing
When crashes happen
33%
of fatal crashes happened at night
- About two-thirds of the share in North Carolina: 50%
- About two-thirds of the share in the United States: 54%
0%
of fatal crashes happened at weekends
- About 5 percent of the share in North Carolina: 31%
- About 5 percent of the share in the United States: 33%
| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| 12am | 1 |
| 1am | 0 |
| 2am | 0 |
| 3am | 0 |
| 4am | 1 |
| 5am | 0 |
| 6am | 1 |
| 7am | 0 |
| 8am | 2 |
| 9am | 0 |
| 10am | 2 |
| 11am | 0 |
| 12pm | 3 |
| 1pm | 2 |
| 2pm | 2 |
| 3pm | 1 |
| 4pm | 4 |
| 5pm | 3 |
| 6pm | 2 |
| 7pm | 3 |
| 8pm | 2 |
| 9pm | 1 |
| 10pm | 1 |
| 11pm | 1 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Sun | 5 |
| Mon | 2 |
| Tue | 5 |
| Wed | 6 |
| Thu | 2 |
| Fri | 4 |
| Sat | 8 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Jan | 3 |
| Feb | 3 |
| Mar | 0 |
| Apr | 3 |
| May | 4 |
| Jun | 2 |
| Jul | 1 |
| Aug | 3 |
| Sep | 4 |
| Oct | 6 |
| Nov | 2 |
| Dec | 1 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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Conditions
Weather and light
| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Clear | 23 |
| Rain | 5 |
| Cloudy | 4 |
All crashes 2020–2024. Crashes where conditions were not reported are left out.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Daylight | 20 |
| Dark - Not Lighted | 11 |
| Dawn | 1 |
All crashes 2020–2024. Crashes where conditions were not reported are left out.
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Roads and vehicles
Where and what, 2020–2024
Roads with the most fatal crashes
- US-22111
- US-703
- SR-2263
- US-641
- I-401
- LEACH ST1
- SR-80 BUCK CREEK RD1
- SSR- 1760 HARMONY GROVE RD1
- SSR-1001 SUGAR HILL RD1
- SSR-1103 BAT CAVE RD1
Road names as recorded in police reports.
| Category | Vehicles |
|---|---|
| Cars | 18 |
| SUVs | 16 |
| Motorcycles | 6 |
| Medium and heavy trucks | 4 |
| Pickup trucks | 4 |
| Vans | 3 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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Vehicles most often involved
- Chrysler Pacifica2
- Ford Fusion2
- Jeep Wrangler2
- Buick Encore GX1
- Cadillac CTS1
- Chevrolet Equinox1
- Chevrolet GMT-4001
- Chevrolet Traverse1
- Ford E-2501
- Ford F-1501
Reflects how common a vehicle is as well as crash involvement; not a safety rating.
Crashes
Fatal crashes
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Fatal crashes in 2024. Crashes without reported coordinates are not shown.
Filter crashes
| Date | Location | Road | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 2024 | — | US-221 | 1 |
| Oct 9, 2024 | — | US-221 | 1 |
| Sep 18, 2024 | — | US-221 | 1 |
| Aug 9, 2024 | — | SR-80 BUCK CREEK RD | 1 |
| Jan 19, 2024 | — | SSR-1103 BAT CAVE RD | 1 |
| Jan 15, 2024 | — | SR-226 | 1 |
| Dec 8, 2023 | Marion | US-221 | 1 |
| Sep 2, 2023 | — | SSR-1765 DEER PARK RD | 1 |
| Jul 6, 2023 | — | US-221 | 2 |
| Jun 6, 2023 | — | SSR-1501 HANKINS RD | 1 |
| May 24, 2023 | — | US-221 | 1 |
| Apr 29, 2023 | — | SSR- 1760 HARMONY GROVE RD | 1 |
| Apr 5, 2023 | — | US-221 | 1 |
| Nov 20, 2022 | — | SSR-1240 PARKER PADGETT RD | 1 |
| Nov 8, 2022 | Marion | LEACH ST | 1 |
| Oct 29, 2022 | — | US-64 | 3 |
| Sep 25, 2022 | Marion | US-70 | 2 |
| Jun 11, 2022 | — | SR-226 | 1 |
| May 3, 2022 | — | US-221 | 1 |
| Feb 8, 2022 | — | SSR-1001 SUGAR HILL RD | 1 |
| Oct 17, 2021 | — | SSR-1760 HARMONY GROVE RD | 1 |
| Oct 16, 2021 | — | SSR-1552 LAKE JAMES RD | 1 |
| Oct 6, 2021 | Marion | US-70 SSR-1195 EAST COURT ST | 1 |
| Sep 5, 2021 | — | SSR-1741 FAIRVIEW RD | 1 |
| Aug 17, 2021 | — | SR-226 | 1 |
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Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020–2024. A fatal crash is one in which at least one person died within 30 days. Population: US Census Bureau estimates.