Counties in North Carolina by traffic fatalities

Wake County had the highest traffic fatalities of 100 counties in 2023, at 101. Washington County had the lowest, at 0. The median was 10 and the figure for North Carolina was 1,577. Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest101Wake County
Median10100 counties
North Carolina1,577History

Map of counties, 2023

Alamance County: 18 countAlexander County: 12 countAlleghany County: 4 countAnson County: 8 countAshe County: 7 countAvery County: 4 countBeaufort County: 5 countBertie County: 8 countBladen County: 9 countBrunswick County: 18 countBuncombe County: 47 countBurke County: 11 countCabarrus County: 26 countCaldwell County: 10 countCamden County: 1 countCarteret County: 10 countCaswell County: 2 countCatawba County: 25 countChatham County: 17 countCherokee County: 5 countChowan County: 1 countClay County: 1 countCleveland County: 24 countColumbus County: 16 countCraven County: 8 countCumberland County: 52 countCurrituck County: 1 countDare County: 6 countDavidson County: 33 countDavie County: 5 countDuplin County: 19 countDurham County: 38 countEdgecombe County: 15 countForsyth County: 51 countFranklin County: 16 countGaston County: 26 countGates County: 3 countGraham County: 5 countGranville County: 8 countGreene County: 3 countGuilford County: 54 countHalifax County: 21 countHarnett County: 30 countHaywood County: 13 countHenderson County: 12 countHertford County: 3 countHoke County: 13 countHyde County: 0 countIredell County: 22 countJackson County: 5 countJohnston County: 32 countJones County: 2 countLee County: 13 countLenoir County: 15 countLincoln County: 14 countMcDowell County: 8 countMacon County: 4 countMadison County: 2 countMartin County: 4 countMecklenburg County: 97 countMitchell County: 2 countMontgomery County: 13 countMoore County: 27 countNash County: 22 countNew Hanover County: 19 countNorthampton County: 4 countOnslow County: 25 countOrange County: 17 countPamlico County: 2 countPasquotank County: 5 countPender County: 15 countPerquimans County: 1 countPerson County: 10 countPitt County: 33 countPolk County: 5 countRandolph County: 33 countRichmond County: 8 countRobeson County: 65 countRockingham County: 16 countRowan County: 25 countRutherford County: 11 countSampson County: 25 countScotland County: 18 countStanly County: 10 countStokes County: 5 countSurry County: 10 countSwain County: 5 countTransylvania County: 3 countTyrrell County: 1 countUnion County: 21 countVance County: 5 countWake County: 101 countWarren County: 7 countWashington County: 0 countWatauga County: 5 countWayne County: 23 countWilkes County: 8 countWilson County: 18 countYadkin County: 10 countYancey County: 2 count
  • Under 3
  • 3 to 5
  • 5 to 10
  • 10 to 17
  • 17 to 25
  • 25 and over
count, 2023. 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, 2023

Wake County: 101 countWake County101Mecklenburg County: 97 countMecklenburg County97Robeson County: 65 countRobeson County65Guilford County: 54 countGuilford County54Cumberland County: 52 countCumberland County52Forsyth County: 51 countForsyth County51Buncombe County: 47 countBuncombe County47Durham County: 38 countDurham County38Davidson County: 33 countDavidson County33Pitt County: 33 countPitt County33Randolph County: 33 countRandolph County33Johnston County: 32 countJohnston County32Harnett County: 30 countHarnett County30Moore County: 27 countMoore County27Cabarrus County: 26 countCabarrus County26Gaston County: 26 countGaston County26Catawba County: 25 countCatawba County25Onslow County: 25 countOnslow County25Rowan County: 25 countRowan County25Sampson County: 25 countSampson County25Cleveland County: 24 countCleveland County24Wayne County: 23 countWayne County23Iredell County: 22 countIredell County22Nash County: 22 countNash County22Halifax County: 21 countHalifax County21Union County: 21 countUnion County21Duplin County: 19 countDuplin County19New Hanover County: 19 countNew Hanover County19Alamance County: 18 countAlamance County18Brunswick County: 18 countBrunswick County18Scotland County: 18 countScotland County18Wilson County: 18 countWilson County18Chatham County: 17 countChatham County17Orange County: 17 countOrange County17Columbus County: 16 countColumbus County16Franklin County: 16 countFranklin County16Rockingham County: 16 countRockingham County16Edgecombe County: 15 countEdgecombe County15Lenoir County: 15 countLenoir County15Pender County: 15 countPender County15Wake County: 101 countWake County101Mecklenburg County: 97 countMecklenburg County97Robeson County: 65 countRobeson County65Guilford County: 54 countGuilford County54Cumberland County: 52 countCumberland County52Forsyth County: 51 countForsyth County51Buncombe County: 47 countBuncombe County47Durham County: 38 countDurham County38Davidson County: 33 countDavidson County33Pitt County: 33 countPitt County33Randolph County: 33 countRandolph County33Johnston County: 32 countJohnston County32Harnett County: 30 countHarnett County30Moore County: 27 countMoore County27Cabarrus County: 26 countCabarrus County26Gaston County: 26 countGaston County26Catawba County: 25 countCatawba County25Onslow County: 25 countOnslow County25Rowan County: 25 countRowan County25Sampson County: 25 countSampson County25Cleveland County: 24 countCleveland County24Wayne County: 23 countWayne County23Iredell County: 22 countIredell County22Nash County: 22 countNash County22Halifax County: 21 countHalifax County21Union County: 21 countUnion County21Duplin County: 19 countDuplin County19New Hanover County: 19 countNew Hanover County19Alamance County: 18 countAlamance County18Brunswick County: 18 countBrunswick County18Scotland County: 18 countScotland County18Wilson County: 18 countWilson County18Chatham County: 17 countChatham County17Orange County: 17 countOrange County17Columbus County: 16 countColumbus County16Franklin County: 16 countFranklin County16Rockingham County: 16 countRockingham County16Edgecombe County: 15 countEdgecombe County15Lenoir County: 15 countLenoir County15Pender County: 15 countPender 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

RankCounties2023
count
Change on 2022
1Wake County101+4.1%
2Mecklenburg County97-13.4%
3Robeson County650%
4Guilford County54-18.2%
5Cumberland County52+18.2%
6Forsyth County51+24.4%
7Buncombe County47+30.6%
8Durham County38+31%
9Davidson County33+17.9%
9Pitt County33+37.5%
9Randolph County33+32%
12Johnston County32-15.8%
13Harnett County30+76.5%
14Moore County27+107.7%
15Cabarrus County26-18.8%
15Gaston County26+18.2%
17Catawba County25-19.4%
17Onslow County25-34.2%
17Rowan County25+13.6%
17Sampson County25+13.6%
21Cleveland County24+9.1%
22Wayne County23-11.5%
23Iredell County22-4.3%
23Nash County22-4.3%
25Halifax County21+23.5%
25Union County21-25%
27Duplin County19-9.5%
27New Hanover County19+35.7%
29Alamance County18-37.9%
29Brunswick County18-28%
29Scotland County18+5.9%
29Wilson County18+5.9%
33Chatham County17+70%
33Orange County17-10.5%
35Columbus County16-30.4%
35Franklin County16-40.7%
35Rockingham County16+6.7%
38Edgecombe County15+87.5%
38Lenoir County15+114.3%
38Pender County15+15.4%
41Lincoln County14+16.7%
42Haywood County13+8.3%
42Hoke County13+18.2%
42Lee County13-13.3%
42Montgomery County13+62.5%
46Alexander County12+100%
46Henderson County12+20%
48Burke County11-8.3%
48Rutherford County110%
50Caldwell County10-37.5%
50Carteret County10-28.6%
50Person County10+150%
50Stanly County10+100%
50Surry County10-37.5%
50Yadkin County10-9.1%
56Bladen County9-35.7%
57Anson County8-11.1%
57Bertie County8+100%
57Craven County8-61.9%
57Granville County8-46.7%
57McDowell County8-20%
57Richmond County8-46.7%
57Wilkes County8-52.9%
64Ashe County7+250%
64Warren County7+75%
66Dare County60%
67Beaufort County5-54.5%
67Cherokee County5-16.7%
67Davie County5-50%
67Graham County5+66.7%
67Jackson County5-44.4%
67Pasquotank County5-61.5%
67Polk County5+400%
67Stokes County5-66.7%
67Swain County5+66.7%
67Vance County5-70.6%
67Watauga County5+25%
78Alleghany County4+300%
78Avery County4+300%
78Macon County4+33.3%
78Martin County4-20%
78Northampton County4-60%
83Gates County3-50%
83Greene County3+200%
83Hertford County3-40%
83Transylvania County3+200%
87Caswell County2-66.7%
87Jones County2-50%
87Madison County2-50%
87Mitchell County2n/a
87Pamlico County20%
87Yancey County2-71.4%
93Camden County10%
93Chowan County1-66.7%
93Clay County1n/a
93Currituck County1-85.7%
93Perquimans County1-66.7%
93Tyrrell County1-50%
99Hyde County0-100%
99Washington 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/2023/National/FARS2023NationalCSV.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, 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2023/National/FARS2023NationalCSV.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, 2023. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 24 June 2026, https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2023/National/FARS2023NationalCSV.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2023. 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, 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2023/National/FARS2023NationalCSV.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2023.

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, 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2023/National/FARS2023NationalCSV.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{national_counties_in_north_carolina_2023,
  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, 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2023/National/FARS2023NationalCSV.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2023. 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/2023/National/FARS2023NationalCSV.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, 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/24
PB  - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2023/National/FARS2023NationalCSV.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/north-carolina-counties?period=2023.
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/2023/National/FARS2023NationalCSV.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest traffic fatalities?

Wake County, with 101 in 2023, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatalities?

Washington County, with 0 in 2023.

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