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1978

North Carolina · year

North Carolina in 1978

Deaths 1,492Fatal crashes 1,331Per 100,000 —US deaths 50,331

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 1978.

In 1978, 1,492 people died in 1,331 fatal crashes in North Carolina.

The death toll was about level between 1977 (1,428) and 1978 (1,492).

North Carolina accounted for 3% of the 50,331 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

33.1% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

34% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

← 197719781979 →All years

Compared with 1977 and the nation

MeasureNorth Carolina 1978North Carolina 1977United States 1978
Deaths1,4921,42850,331
Fatal crashes1,3311,25144,433
Deaths per 100,000 residents———
Crashes with a drinking driver33%33%36%

Counties in 1978

Every county with a fatal crash in 1978, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 99 counties listed.

CountyFatal crashesDeathsPer 100,000Deaths 2015–2024
Mecklenburg County72806.61,059
Robeson County425344.7531
Guilford County48508.9649
Cumberland County394613.6501
Wake County39433.5772
Catawba County354124.5237
Forsyth County384010.0419
Nash County333636.7232
Johnston County323614.4341
Rockingham County253335.3155
Davidson County313117.4306
Gaston County263012.4277
Wayne County262823.3209
Onslow County272712.7231
Brunswick County192615.6214
Rowan County232516.3233
Cabarrus County23249.8235
Alamance County222413.1214
Wilson County192430.0164
Durham County20236.7296
Randolph County202315.5261
Buncombe County21227.9347
Sampson County202236.4199
Harnett County192013.7293
Rutherford County182030.5118
Columbus County172040.0204
Chatham County191922.7141
Burke County151921.5142
Craven County151716.3131
Iredell County14178.2238
Halifax County131736.2152
Stokes County131737.170
Lenoir County121730.7129
Moore County161614.8183
New Hanover County16166.6210
Vance County121637.895
Richmond County131535.7106
Franklin County131417.6154
Wilkes County131421.2129
Union County13134.9232
Caldwell County121316.1123
Lincoln County121313.3127
Surry County121318.2141
Haywood County111320.6108
McDowell County111328.770
Granville County111219.5138
Currituck County101237.245
Edgecombe County101224.4118
Scotland County91235.4120
Caswell County111149.255
Duplin County111121.8181
Beaufort County91124.771
Hoke County81119.9138
Northampton County81166.373
Cleveland County10109.8208
Lee County101014.6135
Stanly County101014.995
Warren County91052.471
Orange County8106.5147
Pitt County995.0261
Davie County8919.869
Hertford County8947.061
Alexander County8821.857
Bertie County8847.260
Carteret County8811.493
Cherokee County8826.358
Person County8819.960
Madison County7835.845
Anson County7731.261
Martin County7732.546
Greene County6733.936
Macon County5718.154
Ashe County6622.043
Henderson County665.0123
Pender County668.6159
Watauga County6610.958
Yadkin County6615.891
Gates County5548.534
Pasquotank County5512.163
Alleghany County4543.917
Jones County4552.826
Polk County4524.635
Bladen County4413.4108
Dare County4410.543
Jackson County448.876
Montgomery County3415.291
Perquimans County3429.721
Camden County3326.89
Hyde County3365.56
Transylvania County338.835
Avery County1–21–2—24
Graham County1–21–2—36
Chowan County1–21–2—19
Clay County1–21–2—21
Mitchell County1–21–2—18
Pamlico County1–21–2—23
Swain County1–21–2—24
Washington County1–21–2—16
Yancey County1–21–2—28

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

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

Weekday

Sunday17%
Monday11%
Tuesday10%
Wednesday11%
Thursday12%
Friday18%
Saturday21%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in North Carolina in 1978?

1,492 people in 1,331 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1978 file.

Which county in North Carolina had the most crash deaths in 1978?

Mecklenburg County with 80 deaths in 72 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1978 compare with 1977 in North Carolina?

1,492 deaths against 1,428 in 1977 (+4%). Nationally the 1978 total was 50,331.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1978 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.