Charlotte has NC’s deadliest 10-mile stretch of highway, study says. Where?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Shipman & Wright analysis maps 2019-2023 fatal crashes, and I‑85 near CLT airport leads.
- 23 fatal crashes occurred on the deadliest 10‑mile I‑85 segment.
- Seven of the top ten deadly stretches cluster in Charlotte. Raleigh has two.
Charlotte has the deadliest 10-mile stretch of highway in North Carolina, according to a new report.
The most dangerous stretch of road in North Carolina runs along Interstate 85 beginning by Little Rock Road near Charlotte Douglas International Airport, stretching past West Sugar Creek Road. It’s seen 23 deadly crashes in five years, according to an analysis published by Wilmington-based law firm Shipman & Wright.
The report also found that seven of the state’s deadliest road stretches are in or around the Charlotte area.
One part of Interstate 485, completed less than a decade ago to reduce congestion, now ranks among the most dangerous, with 12 fatal crashes during the same five-year period, the report says.
Elsewhere in the state, Raleigh has two trouble spots on Interstate 40, while deadly stretches on Interstate 95 and Interstate 77 extend right up to the state’s borders.
Here’s what you need to know.
Deadliest 10-mile road stretches in NC
Of the deadliest stretches in North Carolina, four are on I-85, with others scattered along I-77, I-40, I-485 and I-95. Most are clustered near Charlotte, while Raleigh has two, and the remaining few are near Burlington and Roanoke Rapids.
Dangerous NC roads
About a mile east from the deadliest stretch, another dangerous stretch of I-85 ranks fifth, running toward Concord Regional Airport with 13 fatal crashes. Farther northeast, a third high-risk section near Lake Concord and Mt. Hope Church Road ranks third overall with 15 deadly crashes. The fourth I-85 hotspot sits outside Charlotte near Burlington, between Graham and Buckhorn, tying for sixth place with 12 fatal crashes, the report says.
The second-deadliest stretch sits on I-77, running from the Wilson Heights area up toward Huntersville and recording 17 fatal crashes. Another section of I-77, tied for sixth place with 12 deadly crashes, runs from central Charlotte down to the South Carolina line, the report says.
Two I-40 stretches in the Raleigh area tie for sixth place with 12 fatal crashes each: one near Lake Johnson Park and another by RDU Airport. The only I-95 segment on the list sits near the Virginia border by Roanoke Rapids, also with 12 fatal crashes, the report says.
Dangerous roads in Charlotte
In 2023, Observer readers weighed in on the most dangerous areas for pedestrians and cyclists in Charlotte, with several spots standing out.
- NoDa was mentioned repeatedly, particularly along North Davidson Street at 15th Street and Belmont Avenue, where jaywalking tickets are common but drivers often ignore safety.
- Pecan Avenue was called a “nightmare to bike,” with issues at Seventh Street where pedestrian signals don’t align with stoplights. Eastway Drive near Howie Park drew attention for high-speed traffic, missing crosswalks and frequent close calls.
- Other areas flagged include Nations Ford Road at South Tryon Street, Kenilworth Avenue and Morehead Street, Independence Boulevard at Briar Creek Road and sections along the rail trail, all described as risky due to speeding cars, poor visibility or inadequate pedestrian infrastructure.
Are Charlotte drivers the problem?
Recent data show that there is at least some correlation between the number of deadliest highway stretches in Charlotte and quality of drivers in the city, The Charlotte Observer reported.
The Queen City ranked No. 15 on last year’s Forbes’ list of U.S. cities with the worst drivers. The report looked at things like fatal crashes, drunk and distracted driving, and speeding-related wrecks.
Charlotte saw about 10.18 fatal crashes per 100,000 residents, and 4.12 of those involved speeding — enough to land it at No. 8 nationwide in that category. Raleigh also made the list, though farther down at No. 43.
However, despite having some of the worst drivers in the country, the Annual Highway Report from the Reason Foundation, a nonprofit think tank, ranked North Carolina’s highway system first in overall condition and cost-effectiveness, the Observer reported.
How did Shipman & Wright come up with its findings?
To find North Carolina’s deadliest stretches of highway, the firm dug into federal crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
They analyzed every fatal wreck in the state from 2019 to 2023, mapping them along major highways in 10-mile chunks. Then, they ranked each stretch by how many deadly crashes occurred there, revealing which parts of the road see the most tragic outcomes.
Reporting from Genna Contino contributed to this story, which was inspired by The News Tribune in Washington.
This story was originally published October 16, 2025 at 10:56 AM with the headline "Charlotte has NC’s deadliest 10-mile stretch of highway, study says. Where?."
