NHTSA FARS 2020–2024
Deadliest Highways and Roads in North Carolina
Quick answer: I-40 is the deadliest road in North Carolina: 219 people died in crashes on it from 2020 to 2024, the worst stretch being near Forsyth County (10 deaths within about 7 miles). Next: US-70 (207) and I-85 (194).
| # | Road | Deaths | Fatal crashes | 2020 · 2024 | Deadliest ~7-mile stretch | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-40 Interstate · live page |
219 | 193 | 47 → 53 | near Forsyth County: 10 deaths map | Guilford County, Wake County, Buncombe County, Forsyth County |
| 2 | US-70 U.S. Highway |
207 | 191 | 40 → 48 | near Wake County: 9 deaths map | Johnston County, Wake County, Carteret County, Guilford County |
| 3 | I-85 Interstate |
194 | 180 | 30 → 36 | near Mecklenburg County: 23 deaths map | Mecklenburg County, Cabarrus County, Davidson County, Rowan County |
| 4 | US-64 U.S. Highway |
161 | 146 | 25 → 36 | near Wake County: 9 deaths map | Wake County, Nash County, Edgecombe County, Henderson County |
| 5 | US-74 U.S. Highway |
161 | 150 | 22 → 36 | near Mecklenburg County: 12 deaths map | Union County, Mecklenburg County, Scotland County, Cleveland County |
| 6 | I-95 Interstate · live page |
138 | 119 | 21 → 32 | near Johnston County: 10 deaths map | Halifax County, Johnston County, Cumberland County, Robeson County |
| 7 | US-17 U.S. Highway |
122 | 113 | 20 → 27 | near Onslow County: 10 deaths map | Brunswick County, Onslow County, New Hanover County, Craven County |
| 8 | US-421 U.S. Highway |
122 | 112 | 22 → 26 | near Lee County: 7 deaths map | New Hanover County, Sampson County, Harnett County, Lee County |
| 9 | US-401 U.S. Highway |
119 | 104 | 28 → 25 | near Cumberland County: 13 deaths map | Cumberland County, Wake County, Hoke County, Franklin County |
| 10 | US-29 U.S. Highway |
107 | 100 | 18 → 24 | near Mecklenburg County: 12 deaths map | Guilford County, Mecklenburg County, Rockingham County, Rowan County |
| 11 | SR-24 State Highway |
97 | 94 | 15 → 20 | near Mecklenburg County: 10 deaths map | Mecklenburg County, Onslow County, Cumberland County, Stanly County |
| 12 | US-158 U.S. Highway |
83 | 70 | 19 → 17 | near Pasquotank County: 6 deaths map | Currituck County, Halifax County, Dare County, Forsyth County |
| 13 | SR-87 State Highway |
81 | 77 | 17 → 17 | near Harnett County: 15 deaths map | Cumberland County, Alamance County, Bladen County, Harnett County |
| 14 | I-77 Interstate |
79 | 75 | 14 → 16 | near Mecklenburg County: 11 deaths map | Mecklenburg County, Iredell County, Yadkin County, Surry County |
| 15 | US-1 U.S. Highway |
75 | 67 | 11 → 8 | near Wake County: 10 deaths map | Wake County, Moore County, Richmond County, Franklin County |
| 16 | I-485 Interstate |
70 | 60 | 16 → 16 | near Mecklenburg County: 11 deaths map | Mecklenburg County |
| 17 | SR-55 State Highway |
60 | 52 | 21 → 11 | near Wayne County: 11 deaths map | Wayne County, Craven County, Lenoir County, Durham County |
| 18 | US-301 U.S. Highway |
56 | 51 | 6 → 16 | near Cumberland County: 8 deaths map | Wilson County, Johnston County, Robeson County, Cumberland County |
| 19 | US-321 U.S. Highway |
55 | 52 | 6 → 18 | near Gaston County: 9 deaths map | Caldwell County, Gaston County, Catawba County, Lincoln County |
| 20 | US-264 U.S. Highway |
54 | 48 | 16 → 5 | near Wilson County: 8 deaths map | Pitt County, Wilson County, Beaufort County, Nash County |
| 21 | SR-11 State Highway |
54 | 44 | 7 → 15 | near Pitt County: 6 deaths map | Lenoir County, Pitt County, Hertford County, Duplin County |
| 22 | US-13 U.S. Highway |
54 | 42 | 9 → 10 | near Cumberland County: 8 deaths map | Wayne County, Pitt County, Cumberland County, Sampson County |
| 23 | SR-16 State Highway |
52 | 48 | 9 → 11 | near Mecklenburg County: 8 deaths map | Mecklenburg County, Catawba County, Alexander County, Wilkes County |
| 24 | US-19 U.S. Highway |
48 | 42 | 2 → 15 | near Buncombe County: 11 deaths map | Buncombe County, Yancey County, Haywood County, Swain County |
| 25 | US-52 U.S. Highway |
46 | 40 | 8 → 6 | near Forsyth County: 9 deaths map | Forsyth County, Surry County, Anson County, Stokes County |
| 26 | SR-150 State Highway |
45 | 45 | 6 → 7 | near Davidson County: 8 deaths map | Forsyth County, Davidson County, Iredell County, Lincoln County |
| 27 | SR-210 State Highway |
43 | 39 | 6 → 11 | near Cumberland County: 10 deaths map | Cumberland County, Harnett County, Pender County, Johnston County |
| 28 | US-25 U.S. Highway |
42 | 42 | 8 → 3 | near Buncombe County: 13 deaths map | Buncombe County, Henderson County, Madison County, Onslow County |
| 29 | US-220 U.S. Highway |
42 | 39 | 9 → 8 | near Rockingham County: 9 deaths map | Rockingham County, Randolph County, Richmond County, Guilford County |
| 30 | SR-49 State Highway |
40 | 39 | 11 → 12 | near Alamance County: 5 deaths map | Mecklenburg County, Alamance County, Randolph County, Cabarrus County |
| 31 | US-601 U.S. Highway |
38 | 33 | 7 → 7 | near Rowan County: 5 deaths map | Union County, Rowan County, Surry County, Cabarrus County |
| 32 | SR-27 State Highway |
37 | 32 | 6 → 9 | near Mecklenburg County: 10 deaths map | Mecklenburg County, Harnett County, Lincoln County, Gaston County |
| 33 | US-501 U.S. Highway |
37 | 33 | 4 → 7 | near Durham County: 7 deaths map | Durham County, Scotland County, Person County, Robeson County |
| 34 | US-15 U.S. Highway |
35 | 34 | 5 → 12 | near Moore County: 4 deaths map | Moore County, Granville County, Chatham County, Lee County |
| 35 | SR-211 State Highway |
35 | 31 | 8 → 5 | near Hoke County: 7 deaths map | Robeson County, Hoke County, Brunswick County, Columbus County |
| 36 | US-258 U.S. Highway |
35 | 33 | 8 → 5 | near Onslow County: 6 deaths map | Onslow County, Lenoir County, Pitt County, Greene County |
| 37 | US-117 U.S. Highway |
34 | 32 | 5 → 6 | near New Hanover County: 10 deaths map | Pender County, New Hanover County, Duplin County, Wayne County |
| 38 | SR-903 State Highway |
32 | 24 | 6 → 9 | near Lenoir County: 4 deaths map | Lenoir County, Duplin County, Pitt County, Greene County |
| 39 | US-221 U.S. Highway |
30 | 25 | 8 → 3 | near McDowell County: 5 deaths map | McDowell County, Rutherford County, Ashe County, Avery County |
| 40 | I-73 Interstate |
30 | 29 | 4 → 7 | near Randolph County: 5 deaths map | Randolph County, Guilford County, Montgomery County |
| 41 | SR-109 State Highway |
30 | 24 | 6 → 6 | near Davidson County: 10 deaths map | Davidson County, Forsyth County, Montgomery County, Anson County |
| 42 | SR-43 State Highway |
29 | 26 | 8 → 7 | near Edgecombe County: 4 deaths map | Nash County, Edgecombe County, Pitt County, Craven County |
| 43 | SR-41 State Highway |
29 | 25 | 4 → 3 | near Robeson County: 5 deaths map | Robeson County, Duplin County, Bladen County, Sampson County |
| 44 | SR-130 State Highway |
29 | 25 | 7 → 6 | near Robeson County: 4 deaths map | Robeson County, Brunswick County, Columbus County |
| 45 | SR-42 State Highway |
28 | 26 | 8 → 2 | near Johnston County: 5 deaths map | Johnston County, Wilson County, Chatham County, Randolph County |
| 46 | SR-18 State Highway |
25 | 24 | 5 → 4 | near Cleveland County: 3 deaths map | Wilkes County, Cleveland County, Alleghany County, Lincoln County |
| 47 | SR-50 State Highway |
25 | 24 | 5 → 3 | near Johnston County: 5 deaths map | Johnston County, Wake County, Onslow County, Pender County |
| 48 | US-23 U.S. Highway |
24 | 24 | 6 → 2 | near Haywood County: 7 deaths map | Jackson County, Haywood County, Macon County |
| 49 | US-701 U.S. Highway |
22 | 20 | 3 → 3 | near Bladen County: 7 deaths map | Columbus County, Bladen County, Sampson County, Johnston County |
| 50 | SR-39 State Highway |
22 | 20 | 4 → 4 | near Vance County: 5 deaths map | Vance County, Franklin County, Johnston County |
| 51 | SR-73 State Highway |
22 | 22 | 4 → 4 | near Mecklenburg County: 3 deaths map | Montgomery County, Cabarrus County, Mecklenburg County, Lincoln County |
| 52 | SR-71 State Highway |
21 | 20 | 5 → 0 | near Robeson County: 11 deaths map | Robeson County, Scotland County |
| 53 | SR-33 State Highway |
20 | 17 | 5 → 3 | near Pitt County: 4 deaths map | Pitt County, Beaufort County, Edgecombe County |
| 54 | SR-86 State Highway |
19 | 15 | 4 → 5 | near Orange County: 4 deaths map | Orange County, Caswell County, Granville County |
| 55 | SR-97 State Highway |
19 | 18 | 2 → 4 | near Nash County: 7 deaths map | Nash County, Edgecombe County, Wake County, Franklin County |
| 56 | I-26 Interstate |
18 | 17 | 4 → 7 | near Henderson County: 4 deaths map | Henderson County, Buncombe County, Polk County, Madison County |
| 57 | SR-96 State Highway |
18 | 16 | 9 → 0 | near Wake County: 5 deaths map | Granville County, Wake County, Franklin County, Johnston County |
| 58 | SR-53 State Highway |
18 | 16 | 3 → 3 | near Cumberland County: 4 deaths map | Onslow County, Cumberland County, Pender County |
| 59 | I-74 Interstate |
18 | 17 | 3 → 2 | near Guilford County: 5 deaths map | Robeson County, Guilford County, Forsyth County, Surry County |
| 60 | SR-54 State Highway |
18 | 18 | 2 → 3 | near Alamance County: 5 deaths map | Alamance County, Durham County, Orange County, Wake County |
Deaths = people killed in crashes on the road, 2020–2024. A crash counts for the first signed Interstate, US or State route of its location; county and unsigned roads are not ranked because their numbers repeat. The stretch is the ~7-mile square with the most deaths on that road. Source: NHTSA FARS.
More for North Carolina: most dangerous counties · North Carolina accidents today · every state · crash history along your route
Questions
Deadliest roads — FAQ
What is the deadliest highway in North Carolina?
I-40 is the deadliest road in North Carolina: 219 people died in crashes on it from 2020 to 2024, the worst stretch being near Forsyth County (10 deaths within about 7 miles). Next: US-70 (207) and I-85 (194). Long, busy highways lead on totals; the deadliest-stretch column shows where on each road the deaths cluster.
Why is there no deaths-per-mile figure?
FARS records where each fatal crash happened but not how long each route is or how much traffic it carries, so we show totals and the worst ~7-mile stretch rather than a rate we would have to estimate.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, which records every fatal crash on US public roads, for 2020–2024. Each crash is credited to the first signed Interstate, US or State route of its trafficway.