Fatal Roads

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North Carolina · county

Rockingham County

Residents 93,517Deaths 2024 13Deaths 2015–2024 155Latest 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.

Rockingham County, North Carolina, recorded 13 deaths in 12 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 155 deaths in 145 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 93,517 residents, that is 16.9 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 17% higher than the North Carolina rate of 14.5 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 8% from 168 in 2005–2014 to 155 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 14.8% against 13.5% for North Carolina.

30% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (19%).

13deaths in 202412 fatal crashes
85deaths, 2020–2024155 over ten years
16.9per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 13.9
+17%vs North Carolina ratestate 14.5 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01734197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 25 deaths1976: 23 deaths1977: 21 deaths1978: 33 deaths1979: 28 deaths1980: 34 deaths1981: 33 deaths1982: 15 deaths1983: 24 deaths1984: 16 deaths1985: 31 deaths1986: 31 deaths1987: 21 deaths1988: 19 deaths1989: 13 deaths1990: 21 deaths1991: 14 deaths1992: 16 deaths1993: 27 deaths1994: 16 deaths1995: 21 deaths1996: 19 deaths1997: 23 deaths1998: 21 deaths1999: 17 deaths2000: 15 deaths2001: 22 deaths2002: 29 deaths2003: 21 deaths2004: 21 deaths2005: 16 deaths2006: 20 deaths2007: 21 deaths2008: 22 deaths2009: 21 deaths2010: 9 deaths2011: 16 deaths2012: 19 deaths2013: 13 deaths2014: 11 deaths2015: 15 deaths2016: 20 deaths2017: 8 deaths2018: 12 deaths2019: 15 deaths2020: 23 deaths2021: 18 deaths2022: 15 deaths2023: 16 deaths2024: 13 deaths
People killed in crashes in Rockingham County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 13 deaths.

Ten-year total down 8% (168 in 2005–2014, 155 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

MeasureRockinghamNorth CarolinaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202416.914.511.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202413.914.711.5
Deaths, 2015–202415515,192389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202414514,061358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-8%+9%+7%
Crashes on rural roads81%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 93,517 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking20%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver31.7%
Pedestriansshare of people killed12.9%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed14.8%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used44.8%
In darknesscrashes after dark42.1%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads80.7%

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 Rockingham County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 145 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday19%
Friday16%
Thursday15%
Monday14%
Sunday14%
Tuesday12%
Wednesday9%

Light condition

Daylight50%
Dark, not lighted39%
Dusk4%
Dark, lighted3%
Dawn3%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial38%
Local23%
Minor arterial19%
Minor collector10%
Other freeways and expressways6%
Major collector3%
Interstate1%

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

Clear81%
Cloudy11%
Rain6%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain1%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Rockingham

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 29US highway2216317625%37%
2US Route 220US highway16545711%22%
3State Route 87State highway512213019%36%
4US Route 311US highway5293131%14%
5US Route 158US highway413815819%20%
6State Route 150State highway2909324%29%

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
202412131–213.9NC 2024
20231416317.1NC 2023
202214151–216.0NC 2022
20211818619.2NC 2021
202021231–224.6NC 2020
201915151–216.0NC 2019
20181212312.8NC 2018
20178848.6NC 2017
20161920421.4NC 2016
20151215316.0NC 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 Rockingham County, North Carolina?

13 people died in 12 fatal crashes in 2024; 85 over 2020–2024 and 155 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Rockingham compare with North Carolina?

16.9 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 Rockingham involved alcohol?

20.0% 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 14.8%.

Which roads in Rockingham see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 29 (22 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 220 (16 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 87 (5 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Rockingham?

Most often between noon to 6pm (30% of crashes) and on Saturdays (19%); 42.1% 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.