Fatal crash profile · State
Traffic deaths in North Carolina in 2023
State in United States
- Deaths, 2023
- 1,577
- Fatal crashes
- 1,465
- Population
- 10.9M
In 2023, 1,577 people died in 1,465 fatal crashes in North Carolina, about 4 a day. That was 3.3% fewer than in 2022 (1,631) and the fewest since 2020. The death rate was 14.5 per 100,000 residents, compared with 12.2 in the United States. North Carolina had the 5th most traffic deaths of the 51 states and DC and the 18th-highest death rate. Pedestrians accounted for 15% of deaths, and 36% of fatal crashes were speeding-related.
Deaths
Traffic deaths
Road users
Who died
15%
of deaths were pedestrians
- About 80 percent of the share in the United States: 18%
| Category | Deaths |
|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants and others | 1,076 |
| Pedestrians | 229 |
| Motorcyclists | 227 |
| Cyclists | 45 |
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| Type | Deaths | Share in North Carolina | Share in the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pedestrians | 229 | 15% | 18% |
| Motorcyclists | 227 | 14% | 16% |
| Cyclists | 45 | 3% | 3% |
| Alcohol-impaired driving crashes | 423 | 27% | 30% |
| Speeding-related crashes | 579 | 37% | 29% |
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
36%
of fatal crashes were speeding-related
- About 1.3 times the share in the United States: 28%
22%
of fatal crashes involved a drinking driver
- About 85 percent of the share in the United States: 26%
| Category | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding-related | 22.0% | 25.6% |
| Alcohol-involved | 35.9% | 28.2% |
| At night | 53.7% | 54.1% |
| At weekends | 31.3% | 33.5% |
Share of fatal crashes. Alcohol-involved means a police-reported drinking driver.
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Timing
When crashes happen
54%
of fatal crashes happened at night
- About the same as the share in the United States: 54%
31%
of fatal crashes happened at weekends
- About the same as the share in the United States: 34%
| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| 12am | 52 |
| 1am | 50 |
| 2am | 67 |
| 3am | 37 |
| 4am | 35 |
| 5am | 46 |
| 6am | 45 |
| 7am | 42 |
| 8am | 42 |
| 9am | 50 |
| 10am | 39 |
| 11am | 40 |
| 12pm | 47 |
| 1pm | 61 |
| 2pm | 69 |
| 3pm | 80 |
| 4pm | 65 |
| 5pm | 97 |
| 6pm | 83 |
| 7pm | 88 |
| 8pm | 88 |
| 9pm | 107 |
| 10pm | 77 |
| 11pm | 57 |
All crashes 2023.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Sun | 211 |
| Mon | 194 |
| Tue | 196 |
| Wed | 184 |
| Thu | 197 |
| Fri | 235 |
| Sat | 248 |
All crashes 2023.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Jan | 93 |
| Feb | 109 |
| Mar | 123 |
| Apr | 119 |
| May | 136 |
| Jun | 113 |
| Jul | 137 |
| Aug | 122 |
| Sep | 125 |
| Oct | 126 |
| Nov | 139 |
| Dec | 123 |
All crashes 2023.
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Conditions
Weather and light
| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Clear | 1,203 |
| Cloudy | 135 |
| Rain | 112 |
| Fog, Smog, Smoke | 10 |
| Other | 2 |
All crashes 2023. Crashes where conditions were not reported are left out.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Daylight | 684 |
| Dark - Not Lighted | 528 |
| Dark - Lighted | 170 |
| Dusk | 42 |
| Dawn | 31 |
| Dark - Unknown Lighting | 4 |
All crashes 2023. Crashes where conditions were not reported are left out.
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Roads and vehicles
Where and what, 2023
Roads with the most fatal crashes
- I-4035
- I-8531
- US-6425
- I-9524
- US-7022
- US-42120
- US-7417
- US-113
- US-40111
- SR-8711
Road names as recorded in police reports.
| Category | Vehicles |
|---|---|
| Cars | 874 |
| SUVs | 443 |
| Pickup trucks | 355 |
| Motorcycles | 227 |
| Medium and heavy trucks | 186 |
| Vans | 88 |
| Other vehicles | 67 |
| Buses | 7 |
| Other light trucks | 6 |
All crashes 2023.
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Vehicles most often involved
- Chevrolet Silverado76
- Honda Accord76
- Ford F-15057
- Toyota Camry57
- Honda Civic43
- Toyota Corolla32
- Dodge Charger28
- Nissan Altima28
- Ram 150028
- Ford Ranger25
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 2023. Crashes without reported coordinates are not shown.
Filter crashes
| Date | Location | Road | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 24, 2023 | Scotland County | US-74 ANDREW JACKSON HWY | 1 |
| Dec 24, 2023 | Asheville, Buncombe County | US-70 TUNNEL RD | 1 |
| Dec 23, 2023 | Cumberland County | SSR-1313 MURIEL DR | 1 |
| Dec 23, 2023 | Robeson County | SSR-1935 HOWELL RD | 1 |
| Dec 23, 2023 | Wake Forest, Wake County | US-1 N | 1 |
| Dec 23, 2023 | Troy, Montgomery County | SR-134 N MAIN ST | 1 |
| Dec 23, 2023 | Harrisburg, Cabarrus County | SSR-1171 PLAZA RD EXT | 1 |
| Dec 22, 2023 | Surry County | US-601 | 1 |
| Dec 22, 2023 | Franklin County | SSR-1132 FLEMING RD | 1 |
| Dec 22, 2023 | Winston Salem, Forsyth County | US-52 | 1 |
| Dec 22, 2023 | Brunswick County | SSR-1140 OXPEN RD SW | 1 |
| Dec 22, 2023 | Wilson, Wilson County | I-95 | 1 |
| Dec 22, 2023 | Jacksonville, Onslow County | US-17 N MARINE BLVD | 1 |
| Dec 22, 2023 | Bailey, Nash County | US-264 | 1 |
| Dec 22, 2023 | Charlotte, Mecklenburg County | CENTRAL AVE | 1 |
| Dec 22, 2023 | Leland, Brunswick County | US-74 ANDREW JACKSON HWY | 1 |
| Dec 21, 2023 | Haywood County | US-276 JONATHAN CREEK RD | 1 |
| Dec 21, 2023 | Townsville, Vance County | SSR-1303 HICKSBORO RD | 1 |
| Dec 21, 2023 | Gastonia, Gaston County | SSR-1245 CROWDERS CREEK RD | 1 |
| Dec 21, 2023 | Pittsboro, Chatham County | US-64 | 1 |
| Dec 20, 2023 | Rutherford County | US-221 | 1 |
| Dec 20, 2023 | Lenoir, Caldwell County | SSR-1145 VIRGINIA ST | 1 |
| Dec 19, 2023 | Lumberton, Robeson County | I-95 | 1 |
| Dec 19, 2023 | Swansboro, Onslow County | SR-24 W CORBETT AVE | 1 |
| Dec 19, 2023 | Charlotte, Mecklenburg County | US-74 E INDEPENDENCE BLVD | 1 |
Explore
Nearby and related
Counties in North Carolina in 2023
Rankings
Nearby states
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Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2023. A fatal crash is one in which at least one person died within 30 days. Population: US Census Bureau estimates.