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

Car accident deaths in Johnston County by year

Car accident deaths fell from 38 in 2020 to 35 in 2021, remained at 35 in 2022, and fell to 23 in 2023. The count then rose to 31 in 2024. The highest year was 2020, and the lowest was 2023. Compared with 2020, the 2024 count was 7 deaths lower.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The annual share of traffic deaths occurring in car accidents was 97.4% in 2020, 89.7% in 2021, 92.1% in 2022, 71.9% in 2023 and 77.5% in 2024. All traffic deaths numbered 39, 39, 38, 32 and 40, respectively. While 2020 had the highest car accident death count, 2024 had the highest count of 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 Johnston County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 128 deaths, or 79.0%, the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 14 deaths, or 8.6%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 20 deaths, or 12.3%. These categories describe the people who died in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes during 2020 through 2024.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The car accident death count therefore includes categories beyond passenger vehicle occupants. For readers searching for a car accident lawyer, the grouping to remember is crash location: these deaths are assigned to Johnston County by where the crashes occurred.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Angle (side impact) accounted for 41 deaths, or 25.3%; Head-on for 26, or 16.0%; Rear-end for 10, or 6.2%; and Sideswipe for 3, or 1.9%. Unknown accounted for 1 death, or 0.6%. These car accident categories describe the crash's first harmful event.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 81 deaths, or 50.0%. This means the first harmful 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 (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.) accounted for 84 car accident deaths, or 51.9%, during 2020 through 2024. Nighttime (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) accounted for 78 deaths, or 48.1%. The daytime count was higher than the nighttime count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

By land use, Urban accounted for 55 deaths, or 34.0%, while Rural accounted for 107 deaths, or 66.0%. Separately, crashes that also involved a large truck accounted for 17 car accident deaths, or 10.5%. That truck figure counts deaths in passenger-vehicle-involved crashes that also involved a large truck; it is not a count of fatal crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

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

Johnston County's car accident death rate was 13.8 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. That rate was higher than North Carolina's 13.4 and the national rate of 10.5. The corresponding death counts were 162 for Johnston County, 7,178 for North Carolina and 176,219 for the United States.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Among the listed neighboring counties, rates were 6.7 in Wake County, 20.4 in Harnett County and 19.2 in Wayne County. Johnston County's rate was higher than Wake County's and lower than Harnett County's and Wayne County's. Rates use the sum of annual Census population estimates to express average annual deaths per 100,000 residents. 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 Johnston County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accident deaths. As shares of all traffic deaths, Speeding-related accounted for 29.3%, Roadway departure for 53.7%, At an intersection for 23.4%, and Pedestrian involved for 12.2%.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Motorcycle involved accounted for 14.4%, Hit-and-run for 5.3%, Driver distraction reported for 5.9%, and In a work zone for 4.3%. Roadway departure had the largest share among the listed characteristics. A crash can carry several characteristics, so rows overlap and their percentages are not additive. These records identify characteristics, 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 a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Inclusion requires a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and an occupant or nonoccupant death within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. County assignment follows crash location, not residence.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files. Figures for 2024 use the Annual Report File and may change when the Final File replaces it. Rates divide deaths by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates for 2020 through 2024, using Vintage 2025, then multiply by 100,000. The separately shown July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the rate denominator. Rates do not adjust for miles driven or visitors.^[8][6][7]

See also

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