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1976

North Carolina · year

North Carolina in 1976

Deaths 1,502Fatal crashes 1,304Per 100,000 —US deaths 45,523

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. Final FARS file for 1976.

In 1976, 1,502 people died in 1,304 fatal crashes in North Carolina.

The death toll was about level between 1975 (1,506) and 1976 (1,502).

North Carolina accounted for 3.3% of the 45,523 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

0.4% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

41% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

← 197519761977 →All years

Compared with 1975 and the nation

MeasureNorth Carolina 1976North Carolina 1975United States 1976
Deaths1,5021,50645,523
Fatal crashes1,3041,34339,747
Deaths per 100,000 residents———
Crashes with a drinking driver0%0%20%

Counties in 1976

Every county with a fatal crash in 1976, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 98 counties listed.

CountyFatal crashesDeathsPer 100,000Deaths 2015–2024
Mecklenburg County61695.71,059
Guilford County566411.5649
Cumberland County546017.7501
Wake County48604.9772
Robeson County465949.7531
Forsyth County34369.0419
Davidson County323620.2306
Onslow County323516.4231
Buncombe County283412.2347
Columbus County273161.9204
Harnett County242819.2293
Wilson County232835.0164
Craven County212826.9131
Sampson County202846.4199
Catawba County242716.2237
Rowan County222617.0233
Gaston County212510.3277
Cleveland County222423.5208
Randolph County212416.2261
Wayne County202419.9209
Henderson County192419.9123
Rockingham County212324.6155
Durham County21226.4296
McDowell County112248.670
Nash County192121.4232
Burke County182123.7142
Alamance County191910.4214
Rutherford County171929.0118
Union County17197.2232
Johnston County18187.2341
Duplin County171835.6181
Pitt County171810.0261
Halifax County161838.3152
Surry County151825.2141
Edgecombe County151530.5118
Caldwell County141518.6123
Lee County141521.9135
Wilkes County141522.7129
Moore County131513.8183
Northampton County131590.573
New Hanover County13145.8210
Stokes County131328.370
Pender County121318.6159
Richmond County121331.0106
Bladen County111343.7108
Brunswick County11127.2214
Iredell County11125.8238
Lenoir County81221.7129
Lincoln County111111.3127
Cabarrus County10114.5235
Orange County10106.5147
Hoke County81018.1138
Person County81024.960
Haywood County61015.9108
Alexander County9924.557
Hertford County9947.061
Vance County9921.395
Chatham County7910.7141
Yadkin County5923.791
Carteret County8811.493
Scotland County7823.6120
Ashe County6829.343
Jackson County6817.776
Currituck County5824.845
Beaufort County7715.771
Franklin County778.8154
Pasquotank County7716.963
Camden County3762.69
Caswell County6626.855
Granville County669.7138
Madison County6626.845
Bertie County5635.460
Watauga County4610.958
Martin County5523.246
Warren County5526.271
Yancey County5526.328
Anson County4522.361
Washington County4546.916
Dare County4410.543
Graham County4448.936
Montgomery County3415.291
Stanly County345.995
Tyrrell County34113.711
Avery County3316.824
Cherokee County339.958
Gates County3329.134
Greene County3314.536
Hyde County3365.56
Jones County3331.726
Polk County3314.835
Transylvania County338.835
Macon County1–21–2—54
Pamlico County1–21–2—23
Swain County1–21–2—24
Alleghany County1–21–2—17
Chowan County1–21–2—19
Davie County1–21–2—69
Perquimans County1–21–2—21

Per 100,000 uses the 2024 population estimate for every year, so early-year rates are understated where a county has grown.

Hour of day

12am5.1%
1am4.3%
2am3.4%
3am2.9%
4am0.7%
5am1.7%
6am2.7%
7am2.1%
8am2.5%
9am1.8%
10am3.2%
11am2.5%
12pm3.4%
1pm3.2%
2pm4.4%
3pm5.3%
4pm5.5%
5pm4.3%
6pm7.6%
7pm8.2%
8pm7.5%
9pm5.5%
10pm5.3%
11pm6.9%

Weekday

Sunday16%
Monday12%
Tuesday11%
Wednesday12%
Thursday12%
Friday16%
Saturday21%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in North Carolina in 1976?

1,502 people in 1,304 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1976 file.

Which county in North Carolina had the most crash deaths in 1976?

Mecklenburg County with 69 deaths in 61 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1976 compare with 1975 in North Carolina?

1,502 deaths against 1,506 in 1975 (0%). Nationally the 1976 total was 45,523.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1976 national file (accident table); US Census Bureau population estimates (no county estimates before 2000 are used, so no rate is shown for this year). Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026.