Car accident statistics for Guilford County, North Carolina (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Guilford County by year

Car accident deaths rose from 58 in 2020 to 80 in 2021, then fell to 60 in 2022 and 48 in 2023. The count rose to 67 in 2024. The highest count was in 2021 and the lowest was in 2023; the 2024 count was 9 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths followed the same yearly direction: 64 in 2020, 88 in 2021, 66 in 2022, 54 in 2023 and 74 in 2024. The share attributed to car accidents was 90.6% in 2020, 90.9% in 2021, 90.9% in 2022, 88.9% in 2023 and 90.5% in 2024. These columns distinguish deaths in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes from all traffic deaths.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Deaths within 30 days in crashes on public roads. 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised.

Who died in Guilford County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 204 deaths, or 65.2% of car accident deaths in Guilford County from 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 30 deaths, or 9.6%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 79 deaths, or 25.2%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

These labels classify the people killed in the selected crashes, rather than limiting the count to passenger vehicle occupants. For readers searching for a car accident lawyer, the grouping to keep in mind is crash location, rather than the deceased person's residence.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Angle (side impact) accounted for 53 deaths (16.9%), Head-on for 41 (13.1%), Rear-end for 27 (8.6%) and Sideswipe for 11 (3.5%). Other accounted for 1 death (0.3%). The largest row, Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport, recorded 180 deaths (57.5%).^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Manner of collision describes the first harmful event. That largest row means the event was not a collision between motor vehicles in transport. Examples include striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. A motor vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic; physical movement is not the test.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Daytime, defined as 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 128 car accident deaths (40.9%) in Guilford County from 2020 through 2024. Nighttime, from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 184 deaths (58.8%). The Unknown category recorded 1 death (0.3%). Nighttime had the larger death count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land-use classification recorded 249 deaths (79.6%) in urban locations and 64 (20.4%) in rural locations. Separately, car accident deaths in crashes that also involved a large truck numbered 22, representing 7.0% of the selected deaths. That figure counts deaths in those crashes, rather than the number of large trucks.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with North Carolina and the United States

Guilford County's car accident death rate was 11.4 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. That rate was lower than North Carolina's 13.4 and higher than the national rate of 10.5. Among the listed neighboring counties, the rates were 10.1 in Forsyth County, 16.3 in Davidson County, 17.9 in Randolph County and 12.0 in Alamance County.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Randolph County had the highest rate among the listed neighboring counties, while Forsyth County had the lowest. Guilford County's rate was higher than Forsyth County's and lower than the rates for Davidson, Randolph and Alamance counties. These rates use deaths and annual Census population estimates. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates, so they show deaths per 100,000 residents per year. They do not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.

Recorded characteristics of all fatal crashes

Recorded characteristics cover all fatal crashes in Guilford County, of any vehicle type. Deaths and shares of all traffic deaths were: Speeding-related, 122 (35.3%); Roadway departure, 152 (43.9%); At an intersection, 80 (23.1%); Pedestrian involved, 82 (23.7%); Motorcycle involved, 47 (13.6%); Hit-and-run, 37 (10.7%); Driver distraction reported, 15 (4.3%); and In a work zone, 5 (1.4%).^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

These percentages use all traffic deaths, rather than only car accident deaths. A crash can have several recorded characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. The entries describe recorded characteristics and are not findings of fault or cause.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can carry several characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These are recorded characteristics, not findings of fault.

About these figures

FARS is NHTSA's census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Inclusion requires a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and a death within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. County counts follow crash location, not residence. Data for 2020 through 2023 are Final Files; the 2024 Annual Report File can change when replaced by the Final File.^[8][6][7]

Rates divide 2020 through 2024 deaths by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025, then multiply by 100,000. This gives average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjustments for miles driven or visitors. The separate July 1, 2024 population estimate of 557,059 is not the rate denominator.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Car accident statistics for Forsyth County, North Carolina (2020-2024)
• North Carolina car accident statistics (2020-2024)