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North Carolina · county

Alexander County

Residents 36,693Deaths 2024 6Deaths 2015–2024 57Latest data year 2024

FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024. Figures are aggregates from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System; no individual crash is identified.

NHTSA's FARS file lists 57 people killed in 54 fatal crashes in Alexander County, North Carolina, between 2015 and 2024, 6 of them in 2024.

With 36,693 residents, that is 15.5 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the North Carolina rate of 14.5 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 20% from 71 in 2005–2014 to 57 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 24.6% against 13.5% for North Carolina.

35% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Friday was the most common day (26%).

6deaths in 20246 fatal crashes
36deaths, 2020–202457 over ten years
15.5per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 16.4
+7%vs North Carolina ratestate 14.5 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0816197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 3 deaths1976: 9 deaths1977: 6 deaths1978: 8 deaths1979: 8 deaths1980: 6 deaths1981: 3 deaths1982: 7 deaths1983: 8 deaths1984: 9 deaths1985: 13 deaths1986: 7 deaths1987: 7 deaths1988: 11 deaths1989: 16 deaths1990: 4 deaths1991: 5 deaths1992: 4 deaths1993: 5 deaths1994: 5 deaths1995: 1–2 deaths1996: 5 deaths1997: 5 deaths1998: 1–2 deaths1999: 7 deaths2000: 8 deaths2001: 7 deaths2002: 6 deaths2003: 4 deaths2004: 7 deaths2005: 12 deaths2006: 7 deaths2007: 6 deaths2008: 4 deaths2009: 9 deaths2010: 6 deaths2011: 6 deaths2012: 7 deaths2013: 8 deaths2014: 6 deaths2015: 6 deaths2016: 4 deaths2017: 1–2 deaths2018: 8 deaths2019: 1–2 deaths2020: 5 deaths2021: 7 deaths2022: 6 deaths2023: 12 deaths2024: 6 deaths
People killed in crashes in Alexander County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 6 deaths.

Ten-year total down 20% (71 in 2005–2014, 57 in 2015–2024). The shaded band is the ten-year window used for rates and shares. County codes are matched to today's Census county list; a few historic code changes are merged.

Compared with North Carolina and the nation

MeasureAlexanderNorth CarolinaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202415.514.511.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202416.414.711.5
Deaths, 2015–20245715,192389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20245414,061358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-20%+9%+7%
Crashes on rural roads91%57%43%

Rates divide deaths by Census Bureau population estimates for each year (residents, not road users; through traffic on major routes raises the rate of small counties). Population 36,693 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking31.5%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver16.7%
Pedestriansshare of people killed3.5%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed24.6%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used29.3%
In darknesscrashes after dark33.3%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads90.7%

tick marks the North Carolina share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

"Alcohol" counts crashes where police reported at least one driver as drinking (FARS DR_DRINK), not the BAC-based alcohol-impaired measure NHTSA publishes separately. "Speeding" counts crashes with a driver coded as racing, exceeding the limit or too fast for conditions. Details in the methodology. Factor pages: alcohol, speeding, pedestrians, motorcycles, unrestrained occupants.

Time of day and day of week

12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Alexander County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 54 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Friday26%
Tuesday17%
Saturday15%
Thursday13%
Monday11%
Wednesday11%
Sunday7%

Light condition

Daylight63%
Dark, not lighted33%
Dusk4%
Dark, lighted0%
Dawn0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Minor arterial54%
Local19%
Other principal arterial13%
Minor collector9%
Major collector6%
Interstate0%
Other freeways and expressways0%

FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the North Carolina share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.

Weather

Clear87%
Rain7%
Cloudy4%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Alexander

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1State Route 16State highway15778118%25%
2US Route 64US highway1029331817%28%

Signed routes (Interstate, US and state highways) that have a page on this site, ranked by fatal crashes in this county over 2015–2024; "fatal crashes" and "deaths" columns are the statewide totals for the route. Local streets and county roads are not listed.

By year, 2015–2024

YearFatal crashesDeathsDrinking-driver crashesPer 100,000
202466416.4NC 2024
20231012432.7NC 2023
2022661–216.4NC 2022
2021671–219.1NC 2021
2020551–213.6NC 2020
20191–21–20—NC 2019
2018881–221.8NC 2018
20171–21–20—NC 2017
2016441–210.9NC 2016
2015661–216.4NC 2015

Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule). Per-100,000 uses the 2024 population for every year in this table; the ten-year rate above uses each year's estimate.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Alexander County, North Carolina?

6 people died in 6 fatal crashes in 2024; 36 over 2020–2024 and 57 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Alexander compare with North Carolina?

15.5 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 14.5 for North Carolina and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Alexander involved alcohol?

31.5% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 25.3% in North Carolina. The factor furthest above the state share was motorcyclists at 24.6%.

Which roads in Alexander see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, State Route 16 (15 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 64 (10 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Alexander?

Most often between noon to 6pm (35% of crashes) and on Fridays (26%); 33.3% happened after dark.

Where does this data come from?

NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files (1975–2024) and Census Bureau county population estimates. Figures are aggregates; no individual crash is identified. See the methodology page for definitions.

Provenance

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, annual national CSV files 1975–2024 (accident table for every year; vehicle and person tables for 2015–2024), public domain. Population: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals (vintages 2000–2010, 2010–2020 and 2020–2024). Data through 31 Dec 2024; page generated 30 Sep 2026. Processing errors are corrected at the next build; see corrections and sources.