Counties in North Carolina by traffic fatalities

Mecklenburg County had the highest traffic fatalities of 100 counties in 2017, at 114. Tyrrell County had the lowest, at 0. The median was 10 and the figure for North Carolina was 1,412. Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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Median10100 counties
North Carolina1,412History

Map of counties, 2017

Alamance County: 26 countAlexander County: 1 countAlleghany County: 2 countAnson County: 6 countAshe County: 2 countAvery County: 2 countBeaufort County: 11 countBertie County: 8 countBladen County: 10 countBrunswick County: 30 countBuncombe County: 32 countBurke County: 17 countCabarrus County: 17 countCaldwell County: 6 countCamden County: 2 countCarteret County: 3 countCaswell County: 6 countCatawba County: 19 countChatham County: 13 countCherokee County: 11 countChowan County: 3 countClay County: 3 countCleveland County: 10 countColumbus County: 30 countCraven County: 9 countCumberland County: 43 countCurrituck County: 5 countDare County: 2 countDavidson County: 23 countDavie County: 9 countDuplin County: 9 countDurham County: 31 countEdgecombe County: 14 countForsyth County: 42 countFranklin County: 14 countGaston County: 23 countGates County: 2 countGraham County: 2 countGranville County: 12 countGreene County: 5 countGuilford County: 66 countHalifax County: 12 countHarnett County: 34 countHaywood County: 10 countHenderson County: 12 countHertford County: 8 countHoke County: 18 countHyde County: 1 countIredell County: 31 countJackson County: 4 countJohnston County: 32 countJones County: 3 countLee County: 19 countLenoir County: 3 countLincoln County: 14 countMcDowell County: 5 countMacon County: 7 countMadison County: 6 countMartin County: 4 countMecklenburg County: 114 countMitchell County: 0 countMontgomery County: 13 countMoore County: 19 countNash County: 17 countNew Hanover County: 18 countNorthampton County: 9 countOnslow County: 18 countOrange County: 10 countPamlico County: 0 countPasquotank County: 2 countPender County: 17 countPerquimans County: 0 countPerson County: 9 countPitt County: 21 countPolk County: 3 countRandolph County: 25 countRichmond County: 9 countRobeson County: 53 countRockingham County: 8 countRowan County: 14 countRutherford County: 11 countSampson County: 18 countScotland County: 10 countStanly County: 12 countStokes County: 7 countSurry County: 8 countSwain County: 1 countTransylvania County: 7 countTyrrell County: 0 countUnion County: 28 countVance County: 9 countWake County: 53 countWarren County: 6 countWashington County: 3 countWatauga County: 4 countWayne County: 13 countWilkes County: 12 countWilson County: 20 countYadkin County: 6 countYancey County: 1 count
  • Under 3
  • 3 to 6
  • 6 to 10
  • 10 to 14
  • 14 to 23
  • 23 and over
count, 2017. Source: NHTSA, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2017

Mecklenburg County: 114 countMecklenburg County114Guilford County: 66 countGuilford County66Robeson County: 53 countRobeson County53Wake County: 53 countWake County53Cumberland County: 43 countCumberland County43Forsyth County: 42 countForsyth County42Harnett County: 34 countHarnett County34Buncombe County: 32 countBuncombe County32Johnston County: 32 countJohnston County32Durham County: 31 countDurham County31Iredell County: 31 countIredell County31Brunswick County: 30 countBrunswick County30Columbus County: 30 countColumbus County30Union County: 28 countUnion County28Alamance County: 26 countAlamance County26Randolph County: 25 countRandolph County25Davidson County: 23 countDavidson County23Gaston County: 23 countGaston County23Pitt County: 21 countPitt County21Wilson County: 20 countWilson County20Catawba County: 19 countCatawba County19Lee County: 19 countLee County19Moore County: 19 countMoore County19Hoke County: 18 countHoke County18New Hanover County: 18 countNew Hanover County18Onslow County: 18 countOnslow County18Sampson County: 18 countSampson County18Burke County: 17 countBurke County17Cabarrus County: 17 countCabarrus County17Nash County: 17 countNash County17Pender County: 17 countPender County17Edgecombe County: 14 countEdgecombe County14Franklin County: 14 countFranklin County14Lincoln County: 14 countLincoln County14Rowan County: 14 countRowan County14Chatham County: 13 countChatham County13Montgomery County: 13 countMontgomery County13Wayne County: 13 countWayne County13Granville County: 12 countGranville County12Halifax County: 12 countHalifax County12Mecklenburg County: 114 countMecklenburg County114Guilford County: 66 countGuilford County66Robeson County: 53 countRobeson County53Wake County: 53 countWake County53Cumberland County: 43 countCumberland County43Forsyth County: 42 countForsyth County42Harnett County: 34 countHarnett County34Buncombe County: 32 countBuncombe County32Johnston County: 32 countJohnston County32Durham County: 31 countDurham County31Iredell County: 31 countIredell County31Brunswick County: 30 countBrunswick County30Columbus County: 30 countColumbus County30Union County: 28 countUnion County28Alamance County: 26 countAlamance County26Randolph County: 25 countRandolph County25Davidson County: 23 countDavidson County23Gaston County: 23 countGaston County23Pitt County: 21 countPitt County21Wilson County: 20 countWilson County20Catawba County: 19 countCatawba County19Lee County: 19 countLee County19Moore County: 19 countMoore County19Hoke County: 18 countHoke County18New Hanover County: 18 countNew Hanover County18Onslow County: 18 countOnslow County18Sampson County: 18 countSampson County18Burke County: 17 countBurke County17Cabarrus County: 17 countCabarrus County17Nash County: 17 countNash County17Pender County: 17 countPender County17Edgecombe County: 14 countEdgecombe County14Franklin County: 14 countFranklin County14Lincoln County: 14 countLincoln County14Rowan County: 14 countRowan County14Chatham County: 13 countChatham County13Montgomery County: 13 countMontgomery County13Wayne County: 13 countWayne County13Granville County: 12 countGranville County12Halifax County: 12 countHalifax County12
count. Source: NHTSA, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017
count
Change on 2016
1Mecklenburg County114+10.7%
2Guilford County66+11.9%
3Robeson County53+39.5%
3Wake County53-34.6%
5Cumberland County430%
6Forsyth County420%
7Harnett County34+54.5%
8Buncombe County32+28%
8Johnston County32-5.9%
10Durham County31+40.9%
10Iredell County31+34.8%
12Brunswick County30+100%
12Columbus County30+15.4%
14Union County28+3.7%
15Alamance County26+73.3%
16Randolph County25+47.1%
17Davidson County23-32.4%
17Gaston County23-20.7%
19Pitt County21-4.5%
20Wilson County20+11.1%
21Catawba County19+26.7%
21Lee County19+137.5%
21Moore County190%
24Hoke County18+20%
24New Hanover County18-10%
24Onslow County18-10%
24Sampson County18-25%
28Burke County17+6.3%
28Cabarrus County17-26.1%
28Nash County17-37%
28Pender County17+6.3%
32Edgecombe County14+100%
32Franklin County14-26.3%
32Lincoln County140%
32Rowan County14-30%
36Chatham County13-13.3%
36Montgomery County13+62.5%
36Wayne County13-45.8%
39Granville County120%
39Halifax County12+20%
39Henderson County12-14.3%
39Stanly County12-7.7%
39Wilkes County12+9.1%
44Beaufort County11+83.3%
44Cherokee County11+83.3%
44Rutherford County11+83.3%
47Bladen County10-37.5%
47Cleveland County10-69.7%
47Haywood County10-28.6%
47Orange County10-16.7%
47Scotland County10+100%
52Craven County9-52.6%
52Davie County9+28.6%
52Duplin County9+12.5%
52Northampton County9+350%
52Person County9+200%
52Richmond County9-47.1%
52Vance County90%
59Bertie County8+14.3%
59Hertford County8+14.3%
59Rockingham County8-60%
59Surry County8-55.6%
63Macon County7-12.5%
63Stokes County7-22.2%
63Transylvania County7+600%
66Anson County6+500%
66Caldwell County6-40%
66Caswell County6-14.3%
66Madison County6+100%
66Warren County6-40%
66Yadkin County6-25%
72Currituck County5-44.4%
72Greene County5+400%
72McDowell County5-37.5%
75Jackson County4-60%
75Martin County4-42.9%
75Watauga County4-20%
78Carteret County3-66.7%
78Chowan County3+50%
78Clay County3+50%
78Jones County30%
78Lenoir County3-66.7%
78Polk County3+50%
78Washington County3+50%
85Alleghany County2+100%
85Ashe County2-71.4%
85Avery County2-33.3%
85Camden County2n/a
85Dare County2-50%
85Gates County2-33.3%
85Graham County2-60%
85Pasquotank County2-50%
93Alexander County1-75%
93Hyde County1n/a
93Swain County1-50%
93Yancey County1-80%
97Mitchell County0-100%
97Pamlico County0-100%
97Perquimans County0-100%
97Tyrrell County0n/a

Other periods

About this ranking

People killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the year. FARS counts people who die within 30 days of a crash involving a motor vehicle travelling on a public road, by the place of the crash, not of residence.

A police-based count of deaths. It differs from death certificate counts (CDC) and from the WHO road traffic death rate (road_traffic_death_rate), which is modelled for international comparison.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2017/National/FARS2017NationalCSV.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2026). Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash (Counties in North Carolina by traffic fatalities, 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2017/National/FARS2017NationalCSV.zip

MLA 9

Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash, Counties in North Carolina by traffic fatalities, 2017. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 24 June 2026, https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2017/National/FARS2017NationalCSV.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2017. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2026. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. Counties in North Carolina by traffic fatalities, 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2017/National/FARS2017NationalCSV.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2017.

Harvard

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (2026) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash, Counties in North Carolina by traffic fatalities, 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2017/National/FARS2017NationalCSV.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{national_counties_in_north_carolina_2017,
  author = {{National Highway Traffic Safety Administration}},
  title = {{Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash: Counties in North Carolina by traffic fatalities, 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2017/National/FARS2017NationalCSV.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2017. Publisher attribution: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2017/National/FARS2017NationalCSV.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
TI  - Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash: Counties in North Carolina by traffic fatalities, 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/24
PB  - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2017/National/FARS2017NationalCSV.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2017.
N1  - Publisher attribution: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2017/National/FARS2017NationalCSV.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest traffic fatalities?

Mecklenburg County, with 114 in 2017, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatalities?

Tyrrell County, with 0 in 2017.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Traffic fatalities: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings