US 70 in North Carolina: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 296 fatal crashes on US 70 in North Carolina killed 311 people, the 3rd most of 540 numbered roads in North Carolina. In 2024 there were 40 fatal crashes and 46 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 18 counties of North Carolina. All fatal crashes in North Carolina.
Deaths on US 70 in North Carolina by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 40 | 46 |
| 2023 | 33 | 35 |
| 2022 | 40 | 41 |
| 2021 | 32 | 32 |
| 2020 | 36 | 40 |
| 2019 | 18 | 18 |
| 2018 | 27 | 28 |
| 2017 | 23 | 24 |
| 2016 | 30 | 30 |
| 2015 | 17 | 17 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 70 in North Carolina: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Johnston County had the most fatal crashes on US 70 from 2015 to 2024: 34, with 37 deaths. Johnston, Wake and Carteret counties together held 32% of fatal crashes on US 70 in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024; the 15 listed held 97%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johnston County | 4 | 34 | 37 |
| 2 | Wake County | 5 | 31 | 34 |
| 3 | Carteret County | 5 | 30 | 31 |
| 4 | Guilford County | 5 | 27 | 28 |
| 5 | Craven County | 5 | 22 | 22 |
| 6 | Wayne County | 1 | 20 | 20 |
| 7 | Buncombe County | 2 | 19 | 20 |
| 8 | Alamance County | 3 | 19 | 19 |
| 9 | Burke County | 2 | 15 | 16 |
| 10 | Catawba County | 2 | 14 | 15 |
| 11 | Durham County | 1 | 14 | 15 |
| 12 | Lenoir County | 0 | 12 | 12 |
| 13 | Iredell County | 2 | 11 | 12 |
| 14 | Orange County | 0 | 11 | 12 |
| 15 | Rowan County | 3 | 8 | 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 70 in North Carolina
The heaviest slot is Friday, 8 pm to midnight, with 18 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 6 pm to 7 pm; the worst month is December.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3.7 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 8 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 6.1 percent, 18 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 4.1 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 4.7 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 4.4 percent, 13 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.8%
- Feb7.1%
- Mar8.4%
- Apr7.8%
- May7.4%
- Jun6.8%
- Jul9.1%
- Aug8.8%
- Sep10.1%
- Oct9.1%
- Nov8.1%
- Dec10.5%
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 70 in North Carolina first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 48%; a pedestrian in 27%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 18%, a rollover in 4.1%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 142 | 48% |
| Pedestrian | 80 | 27% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 54 | 18% |
| Rollover | 12 | 4.1% |
| Cyclist | 6 | 2.0% |
| Other | 2 | 0.7% |
| 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 70 in North Carolina compare with the state
The largest difference from North Carolina: from 2015 to 2024, 38% of fatal crashes on US 70 in North Carolina were on rural roads, against 57% across North Carolina. Also above the North Carolina share: intersections and pedestrians. Below it: drinking drivers, speeding and unbelted occupants. 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 296 crashes.
| US 70 | North Carolina | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 38% | 57% | below the North Carolina share |
| At or near an intersection | 29% | 19% | above the North Carolina share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 37% | 34% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| A drinking driver | 18% | 25% | below the North Carolina share |
| Speeding | 24% | 32% | below the North Carolina share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 5.1% | 6.3% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 36% | 47% | below the North Carolina share |
| Hit-and-run | 7.4% | 5.1% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| A motorcycle involved | 17% | 14% | about the same as the North Carolina share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 27% | 15% | above 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 70 in North Carolina
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 70 in North Carolina?
- 296 fatal crashes killed 311 people on US 70 in North Carolina from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 40 fatal crashes and 46 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 70 in North Carolina do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Johnston County had the most fatal crashes on US 70 from 2015 to 2024: 34, with 37 deaths. Wake County was second with 31.
- When do fatal crashes on US 70 in North Carolina happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Friday, 8 pm to midnight, with 18 fatal crashes.
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 70 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 70 in North Carolina (filed under 40 spellings, such as "US-70", "US-70 GLENWOOD AVE", "US-70 GLENWOOD AVE", "US-70 ARENDELL ST"). 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.