US 221 in North Carolina: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 40 fatal crashes on US 221 in North Carolina killed 47 people. In 2024 there were 3 fatal crashes and 3 deaths on the road.
An US route running through 6 counties of North Carolina. All fatal crashes in North Carolina.
Deaths on US 221 in North Carolina by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 | 3 |
| 2023 | 8 | 10 |
| 2022 | 4 | 4 |
| 2021 | 4 | 5 |
| 2020 | 5 | 7 |
| 2019 | 7 | 7 |
| 2018 | 2 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 | 1 |
| 2016 | 4 | 6 |
| 2015 | 2 | 2 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 221 in North Carolina: the counties with the most fatal crashes
McDowell County County had the most fatal crashes on US 221 from 2015 to 2024: 15, with 19 deaths. McDowell, Ashe and Rutherford counties together held 83% of fatal crashes in US 221 in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024; the 4 listed held 95%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McDowell County | 3 | 15 | 19 |
| 2 | Ashe County | 0 | 10 | 12 |
| 3 | Rutherford County | 0 | 8 | 9 |
| 4 | Avery County | 0 | 5 | 5 |
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 221 in North Carolina
Too few crashes to name a heaviest slot. The grid shows the shares; a share is only given over 20 crashes.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 1 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 1 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 1 fatal crashes | 5.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 1 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 1 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 7.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 1 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 2.5 percent, 1 fatal crashes | 7.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 12.5 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 5.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 5.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 1 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 1 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 5.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 10.0 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 1 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 2.5 percent, 1 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 1 fatal crashes | 5.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 7.5 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan12.5%
- Feb7.5%
- Mar5.0%
- Apr5.0%
- May15.0%
- Jun5.0%
- Jul5.0%
- Aug10.0%
- Sep10.0%
- Oct10.0%
- Nov5.0%
- Dec10.0%
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 221 in North Carolina first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 58%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 28%, a cyclist in 5.0%, a rollover in 5.0%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 23 | 58% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 11 | 28% |
| Cyclist | 2 | 5.0% |
| Rollover | 2 | 5.0% |
| Pedestrian | 1 | 2.5% |
| Other | 1 | 2.5% |
| 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 221 in North Carolina compare with the state
A drinking driver was recorded in 13% of fatal crashes in US 221 in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024, below the North Carolina share of 25%; speeding in 25%, below the North Carolina share of 32%; a hit-and-run in 0.0%, below the North Carolina share of 5.1%; 31% of passenger-vehicle occupants killed with belt use known were unbelted, below the North Carolina share of 47%. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of North Carolina. A share is only given over 20 crashes.
| US 221 | North Carolina | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 95% | 57% | above the North Carolina share |
| At or near an intersection | 18% | 19% | below the North Carolina share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 33% | 34% | below the North Carolina share |
| A drinking driver | 13% | 25% | below the North Carolina share |
| Speeding | 25% | 32% | below the North Carolina share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 31% | 47% | below the North Carolina share |
| Hit-and-run | 0.0% | 5.1% | below the North Carolina share |
| A motorcycle involved | 23% | 14% | above the North Carolina share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 2.1% | 15% | below 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 in US 221 in North Carolina
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 221 in North Carolina?
- 40 fatal crashes killed 47 people on US 221 in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 3 fatal crashes and 3 deaths.
- Where on US 221 in North Carolina do the most fatal crashes happen?
- McDowell County had the most fatal crashes on US 221 from 2015 to 2024: 15, with 19 deaths. Ashe County was second with 10.
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 221 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 221 in North Carolina (filed under 4 spellings, such as "US-221", "US-221 LINVILLE FALLS HWY", "US-221 N", "US-221/421 SR194 E KING ST"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. The full method.