US 19 in North Carolina: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 87 fatal crashes on US 19 in North Carolina killed 97 people, the 19th most of 540 numbered roads in North Carolina. In 2024 there were 12 fatal crashes and 15 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 8 counties of North Carolina. All fatal crashes in North Carolina.
Deaths on US 19 in North Carolina by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12 | 15 |
| 2023 | 7 | 8 |
| 2022 | 13 | 15 |
| 2021 | 7 | 7 |
| 2020 | 4 | 4 |
| 2019 | 9 | 9 |
| 2018 | 10 | 10 |
| 2017 | 8 | 10 |
| 2016 | 7 | 7 |
| 2015 | 10 | 12 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 19 in North Carolina: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Buncombe County had the most fatal crashes on US 19 from 2015 to 2024: 35, with 39 deaths. Buncombe, Haywood and Cherokee counties together held 75% of fatal crashes on US 19 in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024; the 5 listed held 93%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buncombe County | 4 | 35 | 39 |
| 2 | Haywood County | 2 | 15 | 18 |
| 3 | Cherokee County | 2 | 15 | 17 |
| 4 | Swain County | 2 | 9 | 9 |
| 5 | Yancey County | 1 | 7 | 8 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on US 19 in North Carolina
87 fatal crashes on US 19 in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024 have a known time, too few for any one weekday and time of day to stand out. The worst hour is 1 pm to 2 pm; the worst month is May.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.9 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 5.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Thu | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 5.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 6.9 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Sat | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 1 fatal crash |
By hour
By month
- Jan10.3%
- Feb4.6%
- Mar3.4%
- Apr8.0%
- May11.5%
- Jun6.9%
- Jul10.3%
- Aug10.3%
- Sep9.2%
- Oct11.5%
- Nov5.7%
- Dec8.0%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on US 19 in North Carolina first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 51%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 25%, a pedestrian in 17%, a rollover in 4.6%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 44 | 51% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 22 | 25% |
| Pedestrian | 15 | 17% |
| Rollover | 4 | 4.6% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 1.1% |
| Other | 1 | 1.1% |
| Parked vehicle | 0 | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes on US 19 in North Carolina compare with the state
The largest difference from North Carolina: from 2015 to 2024, 15% of fatal crashes on US 19 in North Carolina were with a drinking driver, against 25% across North Carolina. Also above the North Carolina share: motorcycles. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of North Carolina. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 87 crashes.
| US 19 | North Carolina | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 60% | 57% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| At or near an intersection | 28% | 19% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 28% | 34% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| A drinking driver | 15% | 25% | below the North Carolina share |
| Speeding | 25% | 32% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 9.2% | 6.3% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 48% | 47% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| Hit-and-run | 4.6% | 5.1% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| A motorcycle involved | 22% | 14% | above the North Carolina share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 17% | 15% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on US 19 in North Carolina
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 19 in North Carolina?
- 87 fatal crashes killed 97 people on US 19 in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 12 fatal crashes and 15 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 19 in North Carolina do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Buncombe County had the most fatal crashes on US 19 from 2015 to 2024: 35, with 39 deaths. Haywood County was second with 15.
Other roads in North Carolina with a page
- I-40
- I-485
- I-73
- I-77
- I-85
- I-95
- State Highway 11
- State Highway 130
- State Highway 150
- State Highway 16
- State Highway 210
- State Highway 211
All fatal crashes in North Carolina, with every road ranked.
Where the US 19 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 19 in North Carolina (filed under 12 spellings, such as "US-19", "US-19 CAROLINA BLVD", "US-19 ELA RD", "US-19 PATTON AVE"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.