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1979

North Carolina · year

North Carolina in 1979

Deaths 1,527Fatal crashes 1,352Per 100,000 —US deaths 51,093

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 1979.

In 1979, 1,527 people died in 1,352 fatal crashes in North Carolina.

The death toll was about level between 1978 (1,492) and 1979 (1,527).

North Carolina accounted for 3% of the 51,093 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

43% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

37% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

← 197819791980 →All years

Compared with 1978 and the nation

MeasureNorth Carolina 1979North Carolina 1978United States 1979
Deaths1,5271,49251,093
Fatal crashes1,3521,33145,223
Deaths per 100,000 residents———
Crashes with a drinking driver43%33%39%

Counties in 1979

Every county with a fatal crash in 1979, 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 County71806.61,059
Guilford County546211.1649
Cumberland County485716.8501
Wake County51534.3772
Davidson County404424.7306
Robeson County364437.1531
Forsyth County404110.3419
Gaston County333815.7277
Wayne County343428.3209
Nash County293434.7232
Harnett County283221.9293
Buncombe County273211.5347
Rockingham County222829.9155
Johnston County242710.8341
Pitt County222614.4261
Rowan County202617.0233
Catawba County222515.0237
Onslow County222511.7231
Alamance County222413.1214
Iredell County222411.6238
New Hanover County20249.9210
Durham County20236.7296
Lenoir County202239.8129
Randolph County192214.8261
Caldwell County202126.0123
Wilson County192126.3164
Moore County142018.4183
Wilkes County181827.2129
Lincoln County171818.4127
Franklin County141822.6154
Edgecombe County171734.6118
Rutherford County161725.9118
Greene County141782.236
Yadkin County131744.791
Cleveland County161615.7208
Sampson County141626.5199
Cabarrus County15156.1235
Orange County13159.8147
Craven County121514.4131
Halifax County121429.8152
Carteret County121318.593
Chatham County121315.5141
McDowell County121328.770
Columbus County111326.0204
Stanly County111217.895
Haywood County91219.0108
Martin County91255.846
Granville County111117.9138
Richmond County111126.2106
Union County11114.2232
Burke County101112.4142
Hoke County101119.9138
Surry County91115.4141
Northampton County101060.373
Pender County81014.3159
Brunswick County7106.0214
Beaufort County9920.271
Henderson County997.5123
Vance County9921.395
Bladen County8930.2108
Lee County7913.1135
Swain County5964.524
Scotland County8823.6120
Alexander County7821.857
Hertford County7841.761
Montgomery County7830.391
Bertie County7741.360
Caswell County6731.355
Duplin County6611.9181
Pamlico County6647.823
Stokes County6613.170
Transylvania County6617.635
Watauga County6610.958
Davie County5613.269
Anson County5522.361
Currituck County5515.545
Jackson County5511.076
Pasquotank County5512.163
Person County5512.560
Avery County4528.124
Macon County4512.954
Warren County4526.271
Washington County4437.516
Jones County3442.326
Yancey County3421.128
Madison County1–2417.945
Cherokee County339.958
Gates County3329.134
Hyde County3365.56
Perquimans County3322.321
Alleghany County1–2326.417
Mitchell County1–2320.018
Ashe County1–21–2—43
Camden County1–21–2—9
Clay County1–21–2—21
Dare County1–21–2—43
Graham County1–21–2—36
Tyrrell County1–21–2—11

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

12am5.3%
1am6.3%
2am4.7%
3am3.2%
4am1.5%
5am1.6%
6am2%
7am2.7%
8am3.1%
9am2.4%
10am2.4%
11am2.4%
12pm3%
1pm3.7%
2pm4.3%
3pm4.7%
4pm4.6%
5pm5.3%
6pm7.4%
7pm5.4%
8pm5.6%
9pm5.7%
10pm6.3%
11pm6.2%

Weekday

Sunday18%
Monday11%
Tuesday9%
Wednesday11%
Thursday11%
Friday19%
Saturday22%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in North Carolina in 1979?

1,527 people in 1,352 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1979 file.

Which county in North Carolina had the most crash deaths in 1979?

Mecklenburg County with 80 deaths in 71 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1979 compare with 1978 in North Carolina?

1,527 deaths against 1,492 in 1978 (+2%). Nationally the 1979 total was 51,093.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1979 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.