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1981

North Carolina · year

North Carolina in 1981

Deaths 1,475Fatal crashes 1,319Per 100,000 —US deaths 49,301

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 1981.

In 1981, 1,475 people died in 1,319 fatal crashes in North Carolina.

The death toll was about level between 1980 (1,503) and 1981 (1,475).

North Carolina accounted for 3% of the 49,301 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

35.4% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

36% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

← 198019811982 →All years

Compared with 1980 and the nation

MeasureNorth Carolina 1981North Carolina 1980United States 1981
Deaths1,4751,50349,301
Fatal crashes1,3191,32744,000
Deaths per 100,000 residents———
Crashes with a drinking driver35%34%41%

Counties in 1981

Every county with a fatal crash in 1981, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 95 counties listed.

CountyFatal crashesDeathsPer 100,000Deaths 2015–2024
Mecklenburg County78877.21,059
Guilford County596010.7649
Wake County54564.5772
Robeson County425143.0531
Forsyth County454912.3419
Buncombe County384014.3347
Pitt County313619.9261
Gaston County323414.0277
Rockingham County303335.3155
Cumberland County29308.9501
Alamance County272915.8214
Cleveland County252827.4208
Wayne County232722.4209
Johnston County212710.8341
Catawba County262615.6237
Davidson County232614.6306
Durham County16267.6296
Orange County192516.4147
Harnett County222416.4293
Sampson County202439.7199
Iredell County202210.7238
Onslow County182210.3231
Rowan County212113.7233
Randolph County192114.2261
Edgecombe County162142.7118
Union County20207.6232
Nash County192020.4232
Cabarrus County17197.8235
Caldwell County171923.5123
Halifax County171838.3152
Brunswick County151810.8214
Granville County141829.2138
Columbus County151632.0204
Wilkes County141624.2129
Franklin County111620.1154
Beaufort County151533.771
Carteret County151521.393
Henderson County151512.4123
New Hanover County14156.2210
Rutherford County141522.9118
Bladen County131550.4108
Duplin County131529.7181
Richmond County131433.3106
Wilson County131316.3164
Burke County121314.7142
Stanly County121319.395
Lenoir County101323.5129
Vance County121228.395
Lee County111217.5135
Chatham County101214.3141
Craven County111110.6131
Surry County101115.4141
Scotland County91132.5120
Moore County10109.2183
Martin County91046.546
Anson County9940.161
Davie County8919.869
Pasquotank County8921.763
Pender County7912.8159
Dare County8821.043
Macon County7820.754
Washington County7875.116
Watauga County5814.558
Hertford County7736.561
Jackson County6715.576
McDowell County6715.570
Gates County5768.034
Lincoln County666.1127
Haywood County569.5108
Madison County3626.845
Avery County5528.124
Caswell County5522.455
Pamlico County5539.823
Person County4512.560
Yadkin County3513.291
Warren County1–2526.271
Mitchell County4426.618
Montgomery County4415.291
Northampton County4424.173
Stokes County448.770
Jones County3442.326
Alexander County338.257
Polk County3314.835
Chowan County1–2321.619
Cherokee County1–21–2—58
Graham County1–21–2—36
Hoke County1–21–2—138
Perquimans County1–21–2—21
Transylvania County1–21–2—35
Tyrrell County1–21–2—11
Alleghany County1–21–2—17
Bertie County1–21–2—60
Camden County1–21–2—9
Clay County1–21–2—21
Currituck County1–21–2—45

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

12am5.6%
1am6.8%
2am5%
3am2.6%
4am2.3%
5am2.1%
6am2.9%
7am2.7%
8am2.6%
9am2%
10am1.8%
11am3.1%
12pm2.7%
1pm3.3%
2pm3%
3pm5.3%
4pm5%
5pm5.2%
6pm6.7%
7pm5.2%
8pm6%
9pm6.5%
10pm5%
11pm6.6%

Weekday

Sunday16%
Monday10%
Tuesday11%
Wednesday12%
Thursday13%
Friday17%
Saturday23%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in North Carolina in 1981?

1,475 people in 1,319 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1981 file.

Which county in North Carolina had the most crash deaths in 1981?

Mecklenburg County with 87 deaths in 78 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1981 compare with 1980 in North Carolina?

1,475 deaths against 1,503 in 1980 (+-2%). Nationally the 1981 total was 49,301.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1981 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.