Fatal Roads

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FIPS37145

North Carolina · county

Person County

Residents 40,143Deaths 2024 6Deaths 2015–2024 60Latest 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.

In 2024, the latest year in FARS, Person County (North Carolina) had 6 fatal crashes with 6 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 56 fatal crashes and 60 deaths.

With 40,143 residents, that is 15.2 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 was about level between 2005–2014 (60) and 2015–2024 (60).

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 39.3% against 31.8% for North Carolina.

45% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Monday was the most common day (25%).

6deaths in 20246 fatal crashes
35deaths, 2020–202460 over ten years
15.2per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 14.9
+5%vs North Carolina ratestate 14.5 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0713197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 6 deaths1976: 10 deaths1977: 7 deaths1978: 8 deaths1979: 5 deaths1980: 10 deaths1981: 5 deaths1982: 5 deaths1983: 6 deaths1984: 13 deaths1985: 7 deaths1986: 6 deaths1987: 7 deaths1988: 11 deaths1989: 7 deaths1990: 9 deaths1991: 5 deaths1992: 5 deaths1993: 5 deaths1994: 5 deaths1995: 8 deaths1996: 8 deaths1997: 10 deaths1998: 6 deaths1999: 8 deaths2000: 1–2 deaths2001: 8 deaths2002: 1–2 deaths2003: 13 deaths2004: 6 deaths2005: 7 deaths2006: 7 deaths2007: 9 deaths2008: 4 deaths2009: 3 deaths2010: 4 deaths2011: 6 deaths2012: 7 deaths2013: 6 deaths2014: 7 deaths2015: 6 deaths2016: 3 deaths2017: 9 deaths2018: 4 deaths2019: 3 deaths2020: 8 deaths2021: 7 deaths2022: 4 deaths2023: 10 deaths2024: 6 deaths
People killed in crashes in Person County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 6 deaths.

Ten-year total up 0% (60 in 2005–2014, 60 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

MeasurePersonNorth CarolinaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202415.214.511.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202414.914.711.5
Deaths, 2015–20246015,192389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20245614,061358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years0%+9%+7%
Crashes on rural roads88%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 40,143 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking19.6%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver39.3%
Pedestriansshare of people killed8.3%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed13.3%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used52.4%
In darknesscrashes after dark41.8%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads87.5%

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 Person County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 56 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Monday25%
Thursday18%
Saturday16%
Sunday13%
Wednesday11%
Tuesday9%
Friday9%

Light condition

Daylight55%
Dark, not lighted38%
Dark, lighted4%
Dusk4%
Dawn0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial32%
Minor collector23%
Local23%
Major collector14%
Minor arterial7%
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

Clear69%
Cloudy15%
Rain15%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Person

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 501US highway7596824%27%
2US Route 158US highway613815819%20%
3State Route 49State highway5707223%26%
4State Route 130State highway1465224%17%

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
202466014.9NC 2024
20239101–224.9NC 2023
2022441–210.0NC 2022
2021671–217.4NC 2021
2020781–219.9NC 2020
2019331–27.5NC 2019
2018441–210.0NC 2018
201789022.4NC 2017
2016331–27.5NC 2016
2015661–214.9NC 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 Person County, North Carolina?

6 people died in 6 fatal crashes in 2024; 35 over 2020–2024 and 60 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Person compare with North Carolina?

15.2 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 Person involved alcohol?

19.6% 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 speeding at 39.3%.

Which roads in Person see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 501 (7 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 158 (6 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 49 (5 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Person?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (45% of crashes) and on Mondays (25%); 41.8% 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.