Get a detailed background of car accident cases in Charlotte,NC conducted by Stewart Law Offices after analysing data from North Carolina DOT
CHARLOTTE, NC, UNITED STATES, January 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — New Analysis Traces 64 Years of Traffic Safety Trends Across North Carolina
For most of the past six decades North Carolina has made steady life saving progress on its roads. Vehicles became safer, highways improved and traffic laws grew stronger. But new research shows that in 2020 that progress took a dangerous turn.
A comprehensive analysis by Stewart Law Offices, a personal injury law firm serving the Carolinas for more than 30 years reveals that traffic fatalities spiked sharply beginning in 2020 reversing years of improvement. The study reviewed official North Carolina Department of Transportation crash data from 1960 through 2024 adjusting for population growth.
The findings hit especially close to home in Charlotte where more than 32,900 crashes in 2023 resulted in 105 deaths reflecting a troubling statewide pattern. There are fewer crashes overall but the outcomes are more severe.
Decades of Progress and Lives Saved
The long term data tells a powerful success story. In 1960 North Carolina’s traffic death rate stood at 26.91 deaths per 100,000 residents. By 2019 that number had dropped to 14.02 which is a 48 percent reduction even as the state’s population and number of drivers surged.
“The improvements over the last 60 years are extraordinary” said a spokesperson for Stewart Law Offices’ Charlotte office. “Safer vehicles, smarter road design and better enforcement have saved countless lives.”
Key historical insights include:
-Peak danger years The mid 1960s through early 1970s when death rates regularly exceeded 25 per 100,000 residents
Worst year on record 1968 with 41.02 deaths per 100,000
Steady decline Beginning in the 1980s fatality rates dropped consistently falling below 20 by 1990
Safest year 2011 when the rate reached 12.49 which is less than half the 1960 level
– A Sudden and Concerning Reversal
That progress stalled and then reversed starting in 2020.
After near historic lows in 2019 North Carolina’s traffic death rate jumped 13 percent in one year rising to 15.88 deaths per 100,000 residents which was the highest level since 2007. More concerning is that the increase did not fade.
-In 2021 the death rate climbed to 16.90 the highest since 2006
-In 2022 and 2023 rates remained above 15.5
-In 2024 rates remained elevated at 15.68 well above pre 2020 levels
-What makes this trend even more alarming is that total crashes declined during this same period.
In 2019 there were 232.7 crashes per 100,000 residents. By 2024 that figure had dropped to 223.98. Even so, a higher share of crashes resulted in death.
-Why Crashes Are Becoming Deadlier
-The data suggests crashes are more severe even though they are less frequent.
-In 2019 there were 1.20 deaths per 100 crashes
-By 2024 that number rose to 1.36 deaths per 100 crashes which represents a 13 percent increase
-Traffic safety experts point to several likely contributors
-Increased speeding on less congested roads
-More distracted driving
-A growing number of larger heavier vehicles such as SUVs and trucks
-Impaired driving
-Aggressive driving behaviors that continued after lockdowns ended
Charlotte’s Share of the Crisis
As North Carolina’s largest city Charlotte carries a significant share of the state’s traffic safety burden. In 2023 alone the city recorded
-32,932 crashes
-105 fatalities
-16,066 injuries
These figures account for nearly 12 percent of all crashes statewide underscoring the need for continued safety improvements across the Charlotte metro area.
A Call to Act Before More Lives Are Lost
“These numbers are not just statistics,” said Stewart Law Offices. “They represent parents, children, friends and neighbours who should have made it home. After decades of progress we cannot accept this reversal.”
The firm emphasizes that while individual driving choices matter, the persistence of these trends suggests broader systemic issues that require attention from policymakers, traffic engineers and law enforcement across North Carolina.
About the Analysis
Stewart Law Offices reviewed official North Carolina Department of Transportation crash data from 1960 through 2024 examining fatalities, injuries and total crashes in relation to population growth. Founded in 1995 the firm has represented injury victims across North Carolina for three decades including residents throughout Mecklenburg County from its Charlotte office.
Brent Stewart
Stewart Law Offices
+1 704-521-5000
email us here
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