Fatal crash profile · County
Traffic deaths in Wilkes County, North Carolina
County in North Carolina · United States
- Deaths, 2024
- 17
- Fatal crashes
- 16
- Population
- 66.3K
In 2024, 17 people died in 16 fatal crashes in Wilkes County, North Carolina. That was 112.5% more than in 2023 (8) and the most since 2022. The death rate was 25.7 per 100,000 residents, compared with 14.6 in North Carolina and 11.5 in the United States. Wilkes County had the 32nd most traffic deaths among North Carolina's counties. Between 2020 and 2024, 73 people died, an average of 15 a year. That rate is based on fewer than 20 deaths, so it can swing a lot from year to year. Pedestrians accounted for 12% of deaths, and 25% of fatal crashes were speeding-related.
Deaths
Traffic deaths
25.7
deaths per 100,000 residents in 2024
- About 1.8 times the rate in North Carolina: 14.6
- About double the rate in the United States: 11.5
22.1
average deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2020–2024
- About 1.5 times the average in North Carolina: 15.0
- About 1.8 times the average in the United States: 12.3
+113%
change in deaths from 2023 to 2024
8 deaths in 2023, 17 in 2024
- North Carolina: +3%
- The United States: -4%
| Category | Deaths | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 13 | 13 |
| 2021 | 18 | 15 |
| 2022 | 17 | 17 |
| 2023 | 8 | 7 |
| 2024 | 17 | 16 |
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 | 19.7 |
| 2021 | 27.4 |
| 2022 | 25.8 |
| 2023 | 12.1 |
| 2024 | 25.7 |
Uses Census population estimates, available from 2000.
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Road users
Who died
12%
of deaths were pedestrians
- About three-quarters of the share in North Carolina: 16%
- About two-thirds of the share in the United States: 18%
| Category | Deaths |
|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants and others | 8 |
| Pedestrians | 2 |
| Motorcyclists | 7 |
| Cyclists | 0 |
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| Type | Deaths | Share in Wilkes County | Share in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pedestrians | 2 | 12% | 16% |
| Motorcyclists | 7 | 41% | 13% |
| Cyclists | 0 | 0% | 3% |
| Alcohol-impaired driving crashes | 3 | 18% | 28% |
| Speeding-related crashes | 4 | 24% | 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
25%
of fatal crashes were speeding-related
- About 60 percent of the share in North Carolina: 41%
- About 90 percent of the share in the United States: 28%
6%
of fatal crashes involved a drinking driver
- About one-third of the share in North Carolina: 21%
- About one-quarter of the share in the United States: 25%
| Category | Wilkes County | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speeding-related | 6.3% | 20.8% | 24.8% |
| Alcohol-involved | 25.0% | 40.8% | 28.1% |
| At night | 37.5% | 50.2% | 53.6% |
| At weekends | 43.8% | 31.4% | 32.6% |
Share of fatal crashes. Alcohol-involved means a police-reported drinking driver.
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Timing
When crashes happen
38%
of fatal crashes happened at night
- About three-quarters of the share in North Carolina: 50%
- About two-thirds of the share in the United States: 54%
44%
of fatal crashes happened at weekends
- About 1.4 times the share in North Carolina: 31%
- About 1.3 times the share in the United States: 33%
| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| 12am | 3 |
| 1am | 0 |
| 2am | 1 |
| 3am | 1 |
| 4am | 1 |
| 5am | 0 |
| 6am | 2 |
| 7am | 1 |
| 8am | 1 |
| 9am | 3 |
| 10am | 2 |
| 11am | 6 |
| 12pm | 8 |
| 1pm | 3 |
| 2pm | 6 |
| 3pm | 7 |
| 4pm | 3 |
| 5pm | 3 |
| 6pm | 6 |
| 7pm | 3 |
| 8pm | 1 |
| 9pm | 3 |
| 10pm | 2 |
| 11pm | 1 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Sun | 12 |
| Mon | 6 |
| Tue | 7 |
| Wed | 9 |
| Thu | 6 |
| Fri | 12 |
| Sat | 16 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Jan | 8 |
| Feb | 4 |
| Mar | 4 |
| Apr | 7 |
| May | 6 |
| Jun | 5 |
| Jul | 5 |
| Aug | 8 |
| Sep | 6 |
| Oct | 7 |
| Nov | 5 |
| Dec | 3 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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Conditions
Weather and light
| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Clear | 59 |
| Cloudy | 6 |
| Rain | 3 |
All crashes 2020–2024. Crashes where conditions were not reported are left out.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Daylight | 48 |
| Dark - Not Lighted | 17 |
| Dusk | 2 |
| Dark - Unknown Lighting | 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-4218
- SR-166
- SR-185
- SR-2684
- SR-18 SPARTA RD2
- SSR-1162 ELK CREEK DARBY RD2
- SR-268 ELKIN HWY2
- SSR-2318 OLD 602
- SSR-13721
- SSR-1185 CURTIS BRIDGE RD1
Road names as recorded in police reports.
| Category | Vehicles |
|---|---|
| Cars | 32 |
| SUVs | 21 |
| Motorcycles | 21 |
| Pickup trucks | 18 |
| Medium and heavy trucks | 9 |
| Other vehicles | 3 |
| Vans | 2 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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Vehicles most often involved
- Toyota Camry6
- Toyota RAV43
- Honda Civic3
- Ford Escape3
- Dodge Ram3
- Kia Soul2
- Honda Accord2
- GMC Sierra2
- Ford Fusion2
- Ford F-3502
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 25, 2024 | — | SSR-2304 CHATHAM RD | 1 |
| Oct 14, 2024 | — | SSR-2303 CLINGMAN RD | 1 |
| Oct 11, 2024 | — | SR-16 | 1 |
| Oct 6, 2024 | — | SSR-1924AUSTIN LITTLE MOUNTAIN | 1 |
| Oct 2, 2024 | — | SR-268 ELKIN HWY | 1 |
| Sep 28, 2024 | — | SSR-1346 SHINGLE GAP RD | 2 |
| Sep 18, 2024 | — | SSR-1999 | 1 |
| Jul 11, 2024 | — | SSR-1990 BETHANY FORD RD | 1 |
| Jun 30, 2024 | Wilkesboro | US-421 | 1 |
| May 31, 2024 | North Wilkesboro | SR-18 | 1 |
| May 9, 2024 | — | SR-16 | 1 |
| May 5, 2024 | — | US-21 | 1 |
| Apr 15, 2024 | — | SR-16 N NC-HWY 16 | 1 |
| Apr 6, 2024 | — | SR-16 | 1 |
| Mar 30, 2024 | Wilkesboro | US-421 BUS | 1 |
| Jan 27, 2024 | — | SR-16 | 1 |
| Nov 26, 2023 | — | SSR-1162 ELK CREEK DARBY RD | 1 |
| Nov 12, 2023 | — | SR-115 | 1 |
| Sep 26, 2023 | — | SSR-2018 | 1 |
| Aug 25, 2023 | — | SSR-1931 GREENHORN RD | 1 |
| Jul 16, 2023 | — | SR-18 SPARTA RD | 2 |
| May 12, 2023 | — | SR-1194 MORAVIAN FALLS RD | 1 |
| Jan 11, 2023 | — | US-421 | 1 |
| Dec 5, 2022 | — | US-421 | 1 |
| Nov 29, 2022 | — | SR-268 | 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.