Racial Disparities in NC Traffic Crash Data

The Bottom Line

Traffic crash injuries and deaths in North Carolina are not distributed equally. In Charlotte, Black residents make up 34% of the population but suffer 44% of crash injuries and deaths. These disparities are driven by decades of infrastructure inequality -- communities of color are more likely to lack the sidewalks, crosswalks, lighting, and safe pedestrian crossings that protect people from traffic violence.

The Data: Disproportionate Impact

Charlotte's Vision Zero program provides some of the most detailed equity data in the state:

• Black residents comprise 34% of Charlotte's population but suffer 44% of crash injuries and deaths
• Pedestrian and bicycle crashes represent just 1.5% of all crashes but account for 29% of serious or fatal injuries
• 19% of pedestrian-vehicle collisions result in serious or fatal injury
• The most dangerous corridors for pedestrians run through historically underserved communities

These are not random patterns. They reflect systematic differences in how transportation infrastructure was built and maintained across different communities.

Why the Disparities Exist

Infrastructure Inequality

The most significant driver of racial disparities in traffic safety is the built environment. Communities that were historically underinvested in -- often communities of color -- lack basic pedestrian safety infrastructure:

• Missing sidewalks -- residents must walk in the road or on unpaved shoulders
• No marked crosswalks -- pedestrians must cross wide, high-speed roads without designated crossing points
• Inadequate lighting -- poor street lighting makes pedestrians invisible to drivers at night
• No pedestrian signals -- intersections lack pedestrian countdown timers or crossing buttons
• High-speed arterial roads -- wide roads designed for fast-moving car traffic cut through residential neighborhoods

When people must walk along or across roads that were designed exclusively for cars, crashes are inevitable. The question is not whether individual pedestrians are being careless -- it is whether the infrastructure provides a safe way for them to walk.

Historical Context

Many of NC's highest-crash corridors through communities of color trace back to mid-20th century highway construction that deliberately routed highways through Black neighborhoods, displacing residents and creating permanent barriers. These roads prioritized moving cars through communities rather than serving the people who lived there.

The resulting road design -- wide, high-speed arterials with infrequent crossings -- remains largely unchanged decades later, even as the surrounding neighborhoods remain residential.

Transportation Access

Lower-income communities and communities of color are more likely to rely on walking, cycling, and public transit for daily transportation. When the infrastructure does not safely accommodate these modes of travel, the people who depend on them bear the risk.

NC-Specific Data

Charlotte Vision Zero Equity Analysis

Charlotte's Vision Zero program has been the most transparent about equity data:

• The high-injury network -- the roads with the most severe crashes -- disproportionately runs through communities with higher percentages of Black and Hispanic residents
• Pedestrian fatalities cluster in corridors with missing sidewalks and high vehicle speeds
• The city is directing new safety investments toward these high-injury corridors, including speed cushions, pedestrian hybrid beacons, and new sidewalks

In FY2025, Charlotte built 4 miles of new sidewalks, installed 5 pedestrian hybrid beacons and 10 rectangular rapid flashing beacons, and lowered speed limits on multiple corridors -- many of these improvements in underserved areas.

NCDOT Statewide Equity Considerations

The NCDOT Strategic Highway Safety Plan explicitly includes equity considerations as part of its crash analysis framework. The 2025 SHSP examines "crash trends, social and demographic trends, equity considerations and other statewide and local safety-related plans."

Vision Zero Communities

Fifteen NC communities have adopted Vision Zero goals. Several -- including Charlotte, Durham, and Raleigh -- are incorporating equity metrics into their safety planning:

• Durham tracks crashes by neighborhood demographics
• Raleigh identifies crash hotspots and compares them to community demographics
• Charlotte explicitly tracks crash outcomes by race

The Pedestrian Safety Crisis

Pedestrian crashes are where racial disparities are most stark. Nationally and in NC, pedestrian fatalities have been rising for over a decade, and the increase falls disproportionately on communities of color.

Key factors:

• Pedestrian crashes are concentrated in urban areas where more people walk
• The most dangerous pedestrian locations are high-speed arterial roads -- exactly the type of road that runs through many communities of color
• Night-time pedestrian crashes are particularly deadly, and inadequate lighting is more common in underserved areas
• Vehicle size matters -- the trend toward larger SUVs and trucks has increased pedestrian fatality rates because taller vehicle front ends are more likely to strike a pedestrian's head and torso

What This Means for Accident Claims

Equity data can be relevant to accident claims in several ways:

Government Liability

If a pedestrian crash occurred in a location with documented infrastructure deficiencies -- missing sidewalks, no crosswalks, inadequate lighting -- the government entity responsible for that infrastructure may share liability. Crash data showing a pattern of pedestrian injuries at the same location strengthens this argument.

Infrastructure as a Contributing Factor

When insurance companies argue contributory negligence against a pedestrian (for example, jaywalking), the lack of safe crossing infrastructure is a powerful counter-argument. A pedestrian who crosses mid-block because there is no marked crosswalk for half a mile is not being reckless -- they are navigating an environment that gives them no safe alternative.

Pattern Evidence

Repeated crashes at the same location, particularly when the location serves a community with documented infrastructure deficiencies, suggests a systemic problem rather than random driver or pedestrian error.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are traffic crash injuries distributed equally across racial groups in NC?▾

No. In Charlotte, Black residents comprise 34% of the population but suffer 44% of crash injuries and deaths. Similar disparities exist in other NC cities. These disparities are driven largely by infrastructure differences -- communities of color often lack sidewalks, crosswalks, adequate lighting, and safe pedestrian crossings.

Why do pedestrian crashes disproportionately affect communities of color in NC?▾

The primary driver is infrastructure inequality. Historically underinvested neighborhoods often lack sidewalks, marked crosswalks, pedestrian signals, and adequate street lighting. Residents in these areas are more likely to walk along or across high-speed arterial roads that were designed primarily for car traffic, creating dangerous conditions.

What is NC doing to address equity in traffic safety?▾

The NCDOT Strategic Highway Safety Plan includes equity considerations. Charlotte's Vision Zero program specifically tracks racial demographics in crash data and is directing safety investments toward high-injury corridors in underserved communities. NC Vision Zero's statewide analytics also incorporate equity metrics.