According to a study by AAA reported in the Charlotte Observer three people die each day in automobile accidents in NC. And some places are much more dangerous to drive than others. But Cary and Apex, NC, don’t make the list.
Graham County, deep in the Appalachian mountains, is the most likely place to be in a fatal car accident in NC. Pitt County, which includes Greenville, NC, is the most likely place to be in any type of car crash in NC, and the second most likely for accidents that involve injury. Warren County has the lead in highest ratio of pedestrian deaths. New Hanover County, where Wilmington, NC, is located, is the third most likely location for an injury crash. Bladen County is fourth for fatality crashes. Wake County, where Raleigh, NC, Cary and Apex, NC, are located did not make the list for automobile accidents.
The AAA rankings take into account the number of deaths and miles driven by county.
The article quotes David Parsons, CEO and president of AAA Carolinas, as saying that while accidents are decreasing, North Carolina still “ranks third behind Texas and California in the number of traffic deaths on noninterstate highways.” “It’s great to see a decrease in road deaths, but it’s still a concern when you consider that more than three people still die every day on North Carolina roads,” Parsons said.
Data from the Charlotte Observer article:
All vehicles
All crashes: 1. Pitt; 2. New Hanover; 3. Vance; 4. Person; 5. Stanly.
Injury crashes: 1. Graham; 2. Pitt; 3. New Hanover; 4. Gaston; 5. Hoke.
Fatal crashes: 1. Graham; 2. Alleghany; 3. Alexander; 4. Bladen; 5. Vance.
Motorcycles
All crashes: 1. Graham; 2. Stokes; 3. Transylvania; 4. Swain; 5. Hoke.
Injury crashes: 1. Graham; 2. Stokes; 3. Transylvania; 4. Hoke; 5. Swain.
Fatal crashes: 1. Graham; 2. Pamlico; 3. Camden; 4. Dare; 5. Yancey.
Tractor-trailers
All crashes: 1. Anson; 2. Northampton; 3. Greene; 4. Bladen; 5. Hyde.
Injury crashes: 1. Anson; 2. Northampton; 3. Richmond; 4. Scotland; 5. Gates.
Fatal crashes: 1. Gates; 2. Hertford; 3. Ashe; 4. Cherokee; 5. Northampton.
Pedestrians
Fatalities: 1. Warren; 2. Yancey; 3. Currituck; 4. Pamlico; 5. Cherokee.
Safest
All crashes: 1. Polk; 2. Haywood; 3. Camden; 4. Jackson; 5. Swain.
Injury crashes: 1. Camden; 2. Tyrrell; 3. Currituck; 4. Swain; 5. Perquimans.
Fatal crashes: 1. Pasquotank; 2. Warren; 3. Washington; 4. Chowan; 5. Tyrrell.
