Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of NHTSA data, the most dangerous city to drive in in North Carolina is Lumberton, NC with 30.4 traffic deaths per 100,000 residents per year (2020–2024; Road Danger Score 98/100), vs a US average of 12.3.
Highest Traffic-Fatality Rates in North Carolina
Cities ranked by Road Danger Score — 5-year traffic deaths per 100,000 residents from NHTSA FARS.
| # | City | Danger Score | Deaths per 100K/yr | Deaths 2020–2024 | Alcohol % | Speeding % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lumberton | 98/100 | 30.4 | 29 | 21% | 38% |
| 2 | Asheville | 92/100 | 18.7 | 89 | 16% | 29% |
| 3 | Wilson | 92/100 | 18.4 | 44 | 18% | 21% |
| 4 | Mount Airy | 90/100 | 17.0 | 9 | 11% | 22% |
| 5 | Kinston | 89/100 | 16.6 | 16 | 25% | 38% |
| 6 | Lenoir | 89/100 | 16.5 | 15 | 20% | 33% |
| 7 | Thomasville | 87/100 | 16.0 | 22 | 20% | 35% |
| 8 | Salisbury | 86/100 | 15.3 | 28 | 4% | 26% |
| 9 | Statesville | 86/100 | 15.2 | 23 | 36% | 27% |
| 10 | Rocky Mount | 86/100 | 15.1 | 41 | 24% | 34% |
| 11 | Smithfield | 83/100 | 14.0 | 9 | 22% | 22% |
| 12 | Morehead City | 83/100 | 14.0 | 7 | 29% | 29% |
| 13 | Graham | 82/100 | 13.9 | 13 | 0% | 36% |
| 14 | Greensboro | 82/100 | 13.7 | 209 | 25% | 37% |
| 15 | Henderson | 81/100 | 13.5 | 10 | 22% | 56% |
| 16 | Lexington | 80/100 | 13.1 | 13 | 15% | 23% |
| 17 | Sanford | 79/100 | 12.9 | 20 | 12% | 24% |
| 18 | Winterville | 79/100 | 12.8 | 7 | 29% | 43% |
| 19 | Kannapolis | 74/100 | 11.9 | 36 | 9% | 16% |
| 20 | Monroe | 74/100 | 11.8 | 23 | 15% | 30% |
| 21 | Hickory | 73/100 | 11.6 | 26 | 39% | 26% |
| 22 | Asheboro | 73/100 | 11.6 | 16 | 0% | 19% |
| 23 | Fayetteville | 72/100 | 11.5 | 121 | 20% | 32% |
| 24 | Burlington | 72/100 | 11.5 | 35 | 21% | 53% |
| 25 | Winston-Salem | 71/100 | 11.3 | 143 | 22% | 26% |
| 26 | Gastonia | 69/100 | 11.0 | 47 | 20% | 46% |
| 27 | Elizabeth City | 67/100 | 10.5 | 10 | 10% | 40% |
| 28 | Spring Lake | 67/100 | 10.5 | 6 | 17% | 50% |
| 29 | Charlotte - Mecklenburg | 66/100 | 10.3 | 516 | 35% | 43% |
| 30 | Morganton | 66/100 | 10.2 | 9 | 0% | 25% |
| 31 | Kings Mountain | 65/100 | 10.0 | 6 | 17% | 17% |
| 32 | Garner | 64/100 | 9.8 | 18 | 29% | 50% |
| 33 | Roanoke Rapids | 62/100 | 9.7 | 7 | 0% | 17% |
| 34 | Jacksonville | 62/100 | 9.6 | 35 | 21% | 21% |
| 35 | Goldsboro | 62/100 | 9.6 | 16 | 6% | 25% |
| 36 | Southern Pines | 60/100 | 9.4 | 8 | 0% | 25% |
| 37 | Laurinburg | 60/100 | 9.3 | 7 | 0% | 14% |
| 38 | Wilmington | 60/100 | 9.3 | 58 | 18% | 36% |
| 39 | Belmont | 57/100 | 8.9 | 7 | 14% | 29% |
| 40 | Newton | 57/100 | 8.9 | 6 | 0% | 20% |
| 41 | Greenville | 57/100 | 8.8 | 40 | 26% | 26% |
| 42 | Shelby | 52/100 | 8.2 | 9 | 11% | 22% |
| 43 | Concord | 51/100 | 8.0 | 45 | 28% | 30% |
| 44 | Durham | 50/100 | 7.9 | 118 | 37% | 49% |
| 45 | Eden | 50/100 | 7.8 | 6 | 0% | 33% |
| 46 | Raleigh | 48/100 | 7.6 | 186 | 20% | 42% |
| 47 | Mooresville | 46/100 | 7.3 | 20 | 35% | 35% |
| 48 | Havelock | 45/100 | 7.2 | 6 | 0% | 40% |
| 49 | Albemarle | 45/100 | 7.1 | 6 | 17% | 33% |
| 50 | Leland | 41/100 | 6.6 | 11 | 0% | 20% |
| 51 | Mount Holly | 40/100 | 6.5 | 6 | 33% | 33% |
| 52 | High Point | 35/100 | 5.8 | 34 | 18% | 29% |
| 53 | Mebane | 34/100 | 5.7 | 6 | 20% | 20% |
| 54 | Matthews | 34/100 | 5.7 | 9 | 11% | 11% |
| 55 | Hope Mills | 33/100 | 5.6 | 5 | 20% | 60% |
| 56 | New Bern | 31/100 | 5.5 | 9 | 0% | 11% |
| 57 | Huntersville | 25/100 | 4.9 | 16 | 38% | 44% |
| 58 | Carrboro | 24/100 | 4.8 | 5 | 25% | 25% |
| 59 | Mint Hill | 15/100 | 3.5 | 5 | 20% | 0% |
| 60 | Chapel Hill | 15/100 | 3.4 | 11 | 44% | 33% |
| 61 | Cornelius | 11/100 | 3.0 | 5 | 20% | 20% |
| 62 | Wake Forest | 10/100 | 2.9 | 8 | 25% | 13% |
| 63 | Kernersville | 10/100 | 2.8 | 4 | 0% | 0% |
| 64 | Clayton | 9/100 | 2.5 | 4 | 25% | 50% |
| 65 | Fuquay Varina | 9/100 | 2.5 | 6 | 17% | 50% |
| 66 | Holly Springs | 9/100 | 2.5 | 6 | 50% | 50% |
| 67 | Morrisville | 6/100 | 1.9 | 3 | 67% | 100% |
| 68 | Cary | 4/100 | 1.3 | 12 | 18% | 36% |
| 69 | Apex | 3/100 | 0.8 | 3 | 0% | 33% |