Fatal Roads

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North Carolina · county

Davidson County

Residents 177,809Deaths 2024 33Deaths 2015–2024 306Latest 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 306 people killed in 282 fatal crashes in Davidson County, North Carolina, between 2015 and 2024, 33 of them in 2024.

With 177,809 residents, that is 18.1 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 25% higher than the North Carolina rate of 14.5 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll was about level between 2005–2014 (296) and 2015–2024 (306).

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 18.0% against 13.5% for North Carolina.

37% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Sunday was the most common day (16%).

33deaths in 202430 fatal crashes
164deaths, 2020–2024306 over ten years
18.1per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 18.6
+25%vs North Carolina ratestate 14.5 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

02447197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 34 deaths1976: 36 deaths1977: 21 deaths1978: 31 deaths1979: 44 deaths1980: 32 deaths1981: 26 deaths1982: 19 deaths1983: 34 deaths1984: 26 deaths1985: 29 deaths1986: 26 deaths1987: 47 deaths1988: 20 deaths1989: 36 deaths1990: 25 deaths1991: 29 deaths1992: 25 deaths1993: 24 deaths1994: 37 deaths1995: 28 deaths1996: 28 deaths1997: 21 deaths1998: 38 deaths1999: 38 deaths2000: 28 deaths2001: 33 deaths2002: 31 deaths2003: 28 deaths2004: 24 deaths2005: 34 deaths2006: 35 deaths2007: 34 deaths2008: 31 deaths2009: 22 deaths2010: 29 deaths2011: 24 deaths2012: 32 deaths2013: 31 deaths2014: 24 deaths2015: 28 deaths2016: 34 deaths2017: 23 deaths2018: 34 deaths2019: 23 deaths2020: 31 deaths2021: 39 deaths2022: 28 deaths2023: 33 deaths2024: 33 deaths
People killed in crashes in Davidson County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 33 deaths.

Ten-year total up 3% (296 in 2005–2014, 306 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

MeasureDavidsonNorth CarolinaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202418.114.511.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202418.614.711.5
Deaths, 2015–202430615,192389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202428214,061358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+3%+9%+7%
Crashes on rural roads53%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 177,809 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking23.4%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver31.2%
Pedestriansshare of people killed12.7%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed18%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used44.8%
In darknesscrashes after dark50%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads53.2%

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 Davidson County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 282 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Sunday16%
Wednesday15%
Friday15%
Saturday15%
Tuesday13%
Monday13%
Thursday13%

Light condition

Daylight45%
Dark, not lighted42%
Dark, lighted8%
Dusk2%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial25%
Major collector21%
Local20%
Interstate14%
Minor arterial12%
Other freeways and expressways7%
Minor collector0%

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

Clear82%
Cloudy11%
Rain7%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Davidson

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 85Interstate3732435225%36%
2State Route 109State highway29475617%19%
3State Route 150State highway18909324%29%
4US Route 64US highway1529331817%28%
5US Route 29US highway1516317625%37%
6US Route 52US highway3849323%24%
7State Route 49State highway3707223%26%
8State Route 62State highway1222323%36%

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
20243033918.6NC 2024
20233033418.6NC 2023
20222528615.7NC 2022
202137391021.9NC 2021
20202931517.4NC 2020
201919231–212.9NC 2019
20183334619.1NC 2018
20172223712.9NC 2017
20163234919.1NC 2016
20152528815.7NC 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 Davidson County, North Carolina?

33 people died in 30 fatal crashes in 2024; 164 over 2020–2024 and 306 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Davidson compare with North Carolina?

18.1 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 Davidson involved alcohol?

23.4% 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 18.0%.

Which roads in Davidson see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 85 (37 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 109 (29 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 150 (18 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Davidson?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (37% of crashes) and on Sundays (16%); 50.0% 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.