Traffic fatalities in North Carolina decreased by 12% last year compared to 2024, according to annual data released by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
The 1,524 people who died on the state's roads in 2025 represent the lowest figure in the last five years, according to the report.Data on traffic accidents in 2025 from DMV".
“These decreases, especially in deaths, are encouraging,” said Tiffany Wright, chair of the board of directors of the North Carolina Alliance for Safe Transportation and director of public affairs for AAA-The Auto Club Group.
“They are real people who continue to sit at the table with their families, and that means a great deal, although I sincerely sympathize with the families who lost a loved one. Any number other than zero hurts,” he said.
The document also shows a 5,7% decrease in the number of injured people, which totaled 107,076, and a slightly less than 2% increase in the total number of accidents, which reached 279,270.
Overview of road accidents in 2025
In his message included in the report, DMV Commissioner Paul Tine emphasized that the statistics reflect lives lost and families forever scarred.
Tine urged people to consult the document to understand how speeding and distractions while driving, such as the use of cell phones and navigation devices, contribute to these tragedies.
General data
- 1,524 people died, 12% less than in 2024.
- 107,076 people were injured, 5.7% less than in 2024.
- There were 279,270 road accidents recorded, 1.9% less than in 2024.
- Drivers from other states were involved in 12% of the accidents.
- 6% of the deceased drivers were from other states.
- 72% of the accidents occurred between 7:00 am and 6:59 pm
- There were 13.61 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.
- 22% of the deaths were related to speeding.
Cyclists and motorcyclists
- 33% of the cyclists* killed were between 40 and 59 years old.
- 33 cyclists died*, 18% less than in 2024.
- 163 motorcyclists died, 16% less than in 2024.
- 3,022 motorcyclists were injured, 1% less than in 2024.
- There were 731 mopeds, scooters, or small motorcycles involved in accidents subject to official reporting. 3.7% of those accidents were fatal, and 83% resulted in injuries.
The category of pedal vehicles includes all non-motorized road vehicles propelled by pedaling.
Pedestrians
- 10% of pedestrians involved in a crash with a motor vehicle died.
- 262 pedestrians died in accidents with motor vehicles, 7% less than in 2024.
Child restraint systems
- 18% of children aged 0-4 who died in road accidents were not restrained by a child restraint system, compared to 41% in 2024.
- 67% of children aged 5 to 7 who died were not restrained by a child restraint system, compared to 25% in 2024.
- 50% of children aged 8 to 14 who died were not wearing a seat belt, compared to 33% in 2024.
Distractions while driving
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines distracted driving as any activity unrelated to driving that a person performs while operating a motor vehicle. These activities can divert their attention from the primary task of driving and increase the risk of a crash.
Driver distraction is recorded as a contributing factor based on self-reported information from those involved. Therefore, the data collected may not reflect the true extent of the problem.
In 2025, 16% of road crashes in North Carolina involved a distracted driver.
Blood alcohol concentration
Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels of drivers involved in accidents:
| Type of incident | 0,00 | 0,01–0,07 | 0,08–0,14 | More than |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fatal accidents | 3 | 24 | 72 | 137 |
| Non-fatal accidents | 20 | 177 | 626 | 889 |
| Claims with material damage only | 36 | 311 | 1,425 | 1,870 |
| Total number of claims | 59 | 513 | 2,129 | 2,900 |
Related: A 17-year-old was arrested for the fatal hit-and-run of a Hispanic girl in Charlotte.
Deaths decline in four counties; Wake County remains unchanged
Although the DMV report covers all 100 counties in North Carolina, for this article we analyzed five of them: Wake, Durham, Guilford, Forsyth, and Mecklenburg.
In 2025, road traffic deaths decreased in Durham, Guilford, Forsyth and Mecklenburg; in Wake they remained at 94. All five counties recorded fewer accidents and injuries than in 2024.
Wake
Although accidents and injuries decreased, fatalities did not. Furthermore, deaths in alcohol-related accidents increased from 24 to 29.
Deaths in accidents involving pedestrians remained at 21.
Durham
All three overall indicators decreased. However, deaths in alcohol-related accidents rose from 9 to 12, and those in accidents involving pedestrians increased from 7 to 9.
guilford
It recorded the largest percentage reduction in deaths among these five counties.
Deaths in pedestrian accidents fell from 25 to 15. In contrast, deaths in alcohol-related accidents increased from 13 to 21.
Forsyth
The number of fatalities decreased by one. Deaths in alcohol-related accidents fell from 9 to 3, while those in motorcycle accidents increased from 1 to 6.
Mecklenburg
It had the largest absolute decrease in deaths: 21 fewer people, although it retained the highest number of deaths among the five counties.
Deaths in pedestrian accidents fell from 40 to 33; alcohol-related deaths increased from 40 to 43.
You may be interested: A woman was reportedly arrested by ICE agents in Durham.
North Carolina 2025 Traffic Crash Facts
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