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

Car accident deaths in Wake County by year

Car accident deaths in Wake County ranged across the five years from 2020 through 2024, moving from 56 in 2020 to 80 in 2021, then to 91 in 2022, 93 in 2023, and 75 in 2024. The highest year was 2023 with 93 deaths, and the lowest was 2020 with 56 deaths. Between 2020 and 2024, the count was 19 deaths higher, going from 56 to 75 over that span. All traffic deaths followed a similar pattern, rising from 65 in 2020 to a high of 101 in 2023 before falling to 83 in 2024, with the share of all traffic deaths that were car accident deaths ranging from 86.2% to 93.8% across the period.^{[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 Wake County car accidents

Of the 395 car accident deaths recorded in Wake County from 2020 through 2024, People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 249 deaths, a share of 63.0%, making up the majority of the total. People in other vehicles accounted for 41 deaths, or 10.4%. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 105 deaths, a share of 26.6%, covering fatalities among pedestrians, pedalcyclists and other or unknown nonoccupants as defined by this FARS category.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Among the manner-of-collision categories recorded for Wake County's 395 car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024, Angle (side impact) crashes accounted for 65 deaths (16.5%), Head-on crashes for 64 deaths (16.2%), Rear-end crashes for 32 deaths (8.1%), and Sideswipe crashes for 16 deaths (4.1%). The category Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 217 deaths, a share of 54.9%, representing the majority. That label covers crashes whose first harmful event was not a collision between motor vehicles in transport, such as striking a pedestrian, a cyclist, a parked vehicle or a fixed object, or a rollover. The Other category accounted for 1 death (0.3%).^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Of Wake County's car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024, Nighttime hours from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. accounted for 224 deaths (56.7%), more than the 171 deaths (43.3%) recorded during Daytime hours from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. Urban land use accounted for 284 deaths (71.9%), the majority, compared with 111 deaths (28.1%) in rural areas. Car accident deaths in crashes that also involved a large truck numbered 24, a share of 6.1% of the county's car accident deaths over the five years.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

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

Wake County's average annual rate of car accident deaths was 6.7 per 100,000 residents from 2020 through 2024, lower than the North Carolina rate of 13.4 and the national rate of 10.5. Among the listed neighboring counties, Johnston County's rate was 13.8, Harnett County's was 20.4, and Durham County's was 8.4, with Wake County's rate lower than each of these three. Among all the areas compared, Harnett County had the highest rate at 20.4 and Wake County had the lowest at 6.7. This rate reflects average annual deaths per 100,000 residents and does not adjust for miles driven or for visitors to the county.^{[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

Looking at all fatal crashes in Wake County from 2020 through 2024, regardless of vehicle type, recorded characteristics as shares of all traffic deaths included Roadway departure at 45.4% (196 deaths) and Speeding-related at 39.8% (172 deaths). Pedestrian involved crashes accounted for 23.8% (103 deaths), At an intersection for 23.4% (101 deaths), and Motorcycle involved for 13.2% (57 deaths). Hit-and-run crashes accounted for 6.5% (28 deaths), Driver distraction reported for 3.9% (17 deaths), and In a work zone for 3.0% (13 deaths). Because a single crash can carry several of these characteristics, the shares overlap and do not add to 100%.^{[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

These figures come from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes on public trafficways where a vehicle occupant or nonoccupant dies within 30 days of the crash. Deaths are grouped by the county where the crash occurred, not by where the people killed actually lived. Data for 2020 through 2023 come from FARS Final Files, while the 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and may be revised once NHTSA issues the Final File. Rates use Census Bureau Vintage 2025 population estimates summed across the five years as the denominator. FARS covers fatal crashes only, so nonfatal crashes and injuries are not part of any figure on this page.^[8][6][7]

See also

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