Counties in North Carolina by traffic fatalities

Mecklenburg County had the highest traffic fatalities of 100 counties in 2022, at 112. Washington County had the lowest, at 0. The median was 12 and the figure for North Carolina was 1,631. Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Median12100 counties
North Carolina1,631History

Map of counties, 2022

Alamance County: 29 countAlexander County: 6 countAlleghany County: 1 countAnson County: 9 countAshe County: 2 countAvery County: 1 countBeaufort County: 11 countBertie County: 4 countBladen County: 14 countBrunswick County: 25 countBuncombe County: 36 countBurke County: 12 countCabarrus County: 32 countCaldwell County: 16 countCamden County: 1 countCarteret County: 14 countCaswell County: 6 countCatawba County: 31 countChatham County: 10 countCherokee County: 6 countChowan County: 3 countClay County: 0 countCleveland County: 22 countColumbus County: 23 countCraven County: 21 countCumberland County: 44 countCurrituck County: 7 countDare County: 6 countDavidson County: 28 countDavie County: 10 countDuplin County: 21 countDurham County: 29 countEdgecombe County: 8 countForsyth County: 41 countFranklin County: 27 countGaston County: 22 countGates County: 6 countGraham County: 3 countGranville County: 15 countGreene County: 1 countGuilford County: 66 countHalifax County: 17 countHarnett County: 17 countHaywood County: 12 countHenderson County: 10 countHertford County: 5 countHoke County: 11 countHyde County: 1 countIredell County: 23 countJackson County: 9 countJohnston County: 38 countJones County: 4 countLee County: 15 countLenoir County: 7 countLincoln County: 12 countMcDowell County: 10 countMacon County: 3 countMadison County: 4 countMartin County: 5 countMecklenburg County: 112 countMitchell County: 0 countMontgomery County: 8 countMoore County: 13 countNash County: 23 countNew Hanover County: 14 countNorthampton County: 10 countOnslow County: 38 countOrange County: 19 countPamlico County: 2 countPasquotank County: 13 countPender County: 13 countPerquimans County: 3 countPerson County: 4 countPitt County: 24 countPolk County: 1 countRandolph County: 25 countRichmond County: 15 countRobeson County: 65 countRockingham County: 15 countRowan County: 22 countRutherford County: 11 countSampson County: 22 countScotland County: 17 countStanly County: 5 countStokes County: 15 countSurry County: 16 countSwain County: 3 countTransylvania County: 1 countTyrrell County: 2 countUnion County: 28 countVance County: 17 countWake County: 97 countWarren County: 4 countWashington County: 0 countWatauga County: 4 countWayne County: 26 countWilkes County: 17 countWilson County: 17 countYadkin County: 11 countYancey County: 7 count
  • Under 3
  • 3 to 7
  • 7 to 12
  • 12 to 17
  • 17 to 26
  • 26 and over
count, 2022. 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, 2022

Mecklenburg County: 112 countMecklenburg County112Wake County: 97 countWake County97Guilford County: 66 countGuilford County66Robeson County: 65 countRobeson County65Cumberland County: 44 countCumberland County44Forsyth County: 41 countForsyth County41Johnston County: 38 countJohnston County38Onslow County: 38 countOnslow County38Buncombe County: 36 countBuncombe County36Cabarrus County: 32 countCabarrus County32Catawba County: 31 countCatawba County31Alamance County: 29 countAlamance County29Durham County: 29 countDurham County29Davidson County: 28 countDavidson County28Union County: 28 countUnion County28Franklin County: 27 countFranklin County27Wayne County: 26 countWayne County26Brunswick County: 25 countBrunswick County25Randolph County: 25 countRandolph County25Pitt County: 24 countPitt County24Columbus County: 23 countColumbus County23Iredell County: 23 countIredell County23Nash County: 23 countNash County23Cleveland County: 22 countCleveland County22Gaston County: 22 countGaston County22Rowan County: 22 countRowan County22Sampson County: 22 countSampson County22Craven County: 21 countCraven County21Duplin County: 21 countDuplin County21Orange County: 19 countOrange County19Halifax County: 17 countHalifax County17Harnett County: 17 countHarnett County17Scotland County: 17 countScotland County17Vance County: 17 countVance County17Wilkes County: 17 countWilkes County17Wilson County: 17 countWilson County17Caldwell County: 16 countCaldwell County16Surry County: 16 countSurry County16Granville County: 15 countGranville County15Lee County: 15 countLee County15Mecklenburg County: 112 countMecklenburg County112Wake County: 97 countWake County97Guilford County: 66 countGuilford County66Robeson County: 65 countRobeson County65Cumberland County: 44 countCumberland County44Forsyth County: 41 countForsyth County41Johnston County: 38 countJohnston County38Onslow County: 38 countOnslow County38Buncombe County: 36 countBuncombe County36Cabarrus County: 32 countCabarrus County32Catawba County: 31 countCatawba County31Alamance County: 29 countAlamance County29Durham County: 29 countDurham County29Davidson County: 28 countDavidson County28Union County: 28 countUnion County28Franklin County: 27 countFranklin County27Wayne County: 26 countWayne County26Brunswick County: 25 countBrunswick County25Randolph County: 25 countRandolph County25Pitt County: 24 countPitt County24Columbus County: 23 countColumbus County23Iredell County: 23 countIredell County23Nash County: 23 countNash County23Cleveland County: 22 countCleveland County22Gaston County: 22 countGaston County22Rowan County: 22 countRowan County22Sampson County: 22 countSampson County22Craven County: 21 countCraven County21Duplin County: 21 countDuplin County21Orange County: 19 countOrange County19Halifax County: 17 countHalifax County17Harnett County: 17 countHarnett County17Scotland County: 17 countScotland County17Vance County: 17 countVance County17Wilkes County: 17 countWilkes County17Wilson County: 17 countWilson County17Caldwell County: 16 countCaldwell County16Surry County: 16 countSurry County16Granville County: 15 countGranville County15Lee County: 15 countLee County15
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

RankCounties2022
count
Change on 2021
1Mecklenburg County112-5.1%
2Wake County97+12.8%
3Guilford County66-25%
4Robeson County65+4.8%
5Cumberland County44-25.4%
6Forsyth County41-12.8%
7Johnston County38-2.6%
7Onslow County38+40.7%
9Buncombe County36+16.1%
10Cabarrus County32+33.3%
11Catawba County31-16.2%
12Alamance County29+61.1%
12Durham County29+31.8%
14Davidson County28-28.2%
14Union County28+16.7%
16Franklin County27+125%
17Wayne County26+62.5%
18Brunswick County25+8.7%
18Randolph County25-21.9%
20Pitt County24-11.1%
21Columbus County230%
21Iredell County23+4.5%
21Nash County23+9.5%
24Cleveland County22+57.1%
24Gaston County220%
24Rowan County22-29%
24Sampson County22+22.2%
28Craven County21+40%
28Duplin County21-27.6%
30Orange County190%
31Halifax County170%
31Harnett County17-54.1%
31Scotland County17-39.3%
31Vance County170%
31Wilkes County17-5.6%
31Wilson County17+6.3%
37Caldwell County16+45.5%
37Surry County160%
39Granville County15-16.7%
39Lee County15+7.1%
39Richmond County15+25%
39Rockingham County15-16.7%
39Stokes County15+200%
44Bladen County14+16.7%
44Carteret County14+75%
44New Hanover County14-48.1%
47Moore County13-43.5%
47Pasquotank County13+18.2%
47Pender County13-7.1%
50Burke County12+20%
50Haywood County12+20%
50Lincoln County12-7.7%
53Beaufort County11+120%
53Hoke County11-31.3%
53Rutherford County11-15.4%
53Yadkin County11+10%
57Chatham County10-41.2%
57Davie County10+100%
57Henderson County10-37.5%
57McDowell County10+25%
57Northampton County10+66.7%
62Anson County9+80%
62Jackson County90%
64Edgecombe County8-42.9%
64Montgomery County80%
66Currituck County7+16.7%
66Lenoir County7-73.1%
66Yancey County7n/a
69Alexander County6-14.3%
69Caswell County6+200%
69Cherokee County6+100%
69Dare County6+20%
69Gates County6+200%
74Hertford County5-44.4%
74Martin County5+66.7%
74Stanly County5-58.3%
77Bertie County4-50%
77Jones County4+33.3%
77Madison County4+33.3%
77Person County4-42.9%
77Warren County4-60%
77Watauga County4-50%
83Chowan County3n/a
83Graham County3-25%
83Macon County30%
83Perquimans County30%
83Swain County3-25%
88Ashe County2-66.7%
88Pamlico County20%
88Tyrrell County2+100%
91Alleghany County1-50%
91Avery County10%
91Camden County10%
91Greene County1-83.3%
91Hyde County1n/a
91Polk County1-75%
91Transylvania County1-66.7%
98Clay County0-100%
98Mitchell County0-100%
98Washington County0-100%

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/2022/National/FARS2022NationalCSV.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, 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2022/National/FARS2022NationalCSV.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, 2022. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 24 June 2026, https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2022/National/FARS2022NationalCSV.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2022. 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, 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2022/National/FARS2022NationalCSV.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2022.

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, 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2022/National/FARS2022NationalCSV.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{national_counties_in_north_carolina_2022,
  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, 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2022/National/FARS2022NationalCSV.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2022. 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/2022/National/FARS2022NationalCSV.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, 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/24
PB  - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2022/National/FARS2022NationalCSV.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2022.
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/2022/National/FARS2022NationalCSV.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest traffic fatalities?

Mecklenburg County, with 112 in 2022, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatalities?

Washington County, with 0 in 2022.

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