Fatal Roads

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Mecklenburg County

Residents 30,824Deaths 2024 12Deaths 2015–2024 99Latest 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.

Mecklenburg County, Virginia, recorded 12 deaths in 12 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 99 deaths in 90 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 30,824 residents, that is 32.3 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 3.2 times the Virginia rate of 10.1 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 22% from 81 in 2005–2014 to 99 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 30.0% against 28.8% for Virginia.

38% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Thursday was the most common day (18%).

12deaths in 202412 fatal crashes
57deaths, 2020–202499 over ten years
32.3per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 38.9
+220%vs Virginia ratestate 10.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0918197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 11 deaths1976: 13 deaths1977: 10 deaths1978: 17 deaths1979: 8 deaths1980: 5 deaths1981: 8 deaths1982: 4 deaths1983: 9 deaths1984: 10 deaths1985: 11 deaths1986: 4 deaths1987: 12 deaths1988: 14 deaths1989: 9 deaths1990: 7 deaths1991: 7 deaths1992: 10 deaths1993: 6 deaths1994: 18 deaths1995: 16 deaths1996: 12 deaths1997: 16 deaths1998: 6 deaths1999: 10 deaths2000: 6 deaths2001: 7 deaths2002: 8 deaths2003: 6 deaths2004: 6 deaths2005: 8 deaths2006: 10 deaths2007: 8 deaths2008: 7 deaths2009: 8 deaths2010: 5 deaths2011: 7 deaths2012: 8 deaths2013: 11 deaths2014: 9 deaths2015: 6 deaths2016: 8 deaths2017: 10 deaths2018: 10 deaths2019: 8 deaths2020: 4 deaths2021: 17 deaths2022: 14 deaths2023: 10 deaths2024: 12 deaths
People killed in crashes in Mecklenburg County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 12 deaths.

Ten-year total up 22% (81 in 2005–2014, 99 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 Virginia and the nation

MeasureMecklenburgVirginiaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202432.310.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202438.910.411.5
Deaths, 2015–2024998,664389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024908,138358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+22%+5%+7%
Crashes on rural roads92%55%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 30,824 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking25.6%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver30%
Pedestriansshare of people killed3%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed5.1%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used48.9%
In darknesscrashes after dark36.7%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads92.1%

tick marks the Virginia 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 Mecklenburg County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 90 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Thursday18%
Saturday18%
Sunday16%
Friday16%
Monday12%
Wednesday11%
Tuesday10%

Light condition

Daylight56%
Dark, not lighted33%
Dawn6%
Dark, lighted2%
Dusk2%
Dark, lighting unknown1%

Road type

Major collector28%
Interstate18%
Local18%
Other principal arterial17%
Minor arterial17%
Minor collector1%
Other freeways and expressways0%

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

Weather

Rain65%
Cloudy24%
Clear6%
Fog, smog or smoke6%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Mecklenburg

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 58US highway1425927721%18%
2Interstate 85Interstate13596215%22%
3US Route 1US highway620320719%21%
4US Route 15US highway38710221%23%
5Interstate 95Interstate129032823%30%
6Interstate 81Interstate124127217%18%
7US Route 50US highway1596324%25%

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
20241212338.9VA 2024
2023910432.4VA 2023
20221314445.4VA 2022
202114171–255.2VA 2021
2020441–213.0VA 2020
201988326.0VA 2019
201810101–232.4VA 2018
2017810332.4VA 2017
201668326.0VA 2016
201566019.5VA 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 Mecklenburg County, Virginia?

12 people died in 12 fatal crashes in 2024; 57 over 2020–2024 and 99 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Mecklenburg compare with Virginia?

32.3 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 10.1 for Virginia and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Mecklenburg involved alcohol?

25.6% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 29.4% in Virginia. The factor furthest above the state share was speeding at 30.0%.

Which roads in Mecklenburg see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 58 (14 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 85 (13 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 1 (6 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Mecklenburg?

Most often between noon to 6pm (38% of crashes) and on Thursdays (18%); 36.7% 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.