Greensboro Road Safety Overview
According to the North Carolina Traffic Crash Facts report for 2023, Greensboro, North Carolina, has the most dangerous roads in the state. It took the top spot from Charlotte in 2021 and has held it since. This ranking is based on total crashes, crash severity, and crash rate based on population. As a result, Greensboro ranked higher than Charlotte despite being smaller and having fewer collisions.
On the other hand, Greensboro has a relatively good ranking in Allstate’s America’s Best Drivers report for 2025. This report ranked 200 cities in the U.S. according to crash frequency. It put Greensboro in 34th place in the country. Notably, the city has jumped 38 spots since 2015, having previously been in 72nd place.
These numbers paint a mixed picture. On the surface, the city appears to have safe roads because residents file claims less frequently than drivers in 166 other cities. On the other hand, the state’s detailed crash statistics reveal that car accidents happen more often than they should and cause more serious injuries than expected.
Car Accidents in Greensboro: What the Numbers Reveal
Greensboro had 8,893 traffic accidents in 2023. These events included all of the following from that year:
- Collisions with pedestrians
- Crashes involving bicycles
- Multi-vehicle collisions involving two or more motor vehicles
- Single-vehicle accidents involving road departures, rollovers, and collisions with fixed objects
These crashes caused 35 fatalities and 5,444 non-fatal injuries.
Injury Breakdown from Greensboro Traffic Accidents
The Traffic Crash Facts report doesn’t provide a breakdown of the severity of these injuries. Many of those involved suffered non-disabling injuries, such as sprains, minor lacerations, and bruises. Some experienced more serious injuries, such as severe lacerations, fractures, and brain trauma.
The injury victims in these accidents included:
- 13 fatally injured pedestrians
- 115 non-fatally injured pedestrians
- Two fatally injured cyclists
- 19 non-fatally injured cyclists
These numbers highlight the serious toll traffic accidents take on vulnerable road users in Greensboro, particularly pedestrians and cyclists.
Top Contributing Factors in Greensboro Traffic Crashes
The report also describes the traffic violations and risky behaviors that led to crashes that year. They included:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol
- Failing to yield the right of way
For example, drivers admitted to distracted and inattentive driving in about 17% of crashes. Distractions generally result from multitasking, while inattention happens when a driver loses focus. These issues prevent motorists from seeing hazards and reacting in time to avoid a collision.
Greensboro’s High Injury Network
Greensboro has prepared a high-injury network map that shows where crashes tend to cluster. This network highlights the following roads:
- Wendover Ave.
- O’Henry Blvd.
- Friendly Ave.
- Market St.
- Elm St.
- Eugene St.
Crashes on these roads often take the form of rear-end crashes and sideswipes.
Rear-end crashes occur when vehicles are too close to stop safely. The driver of the rear vehicle is usually at fault for these accidents because they’re expected to maintain a safe following distance. However, the lead driver may bear some or all of the liability if they cut the other driver off.
Sideswipes happen when drivers make unsafe lane changes. A common mistake when changing lanes or overtaking slower vehicles is to rely on the vehicle’s side mirrors rather than turning to check its blind spots. If a driver loses track of the cars around them, this oversight can lead to a lateral collision during the lane change.
Driving Safely in Greensboro
Drivers can reduce their risk of causing a car accident by following a few simple rules. Most importantly, they should avoid multitasking, such as using their cell phones while driving. They should also slow down, particularly in poor weather. Lastly, they should exercise heightened caution when approaching and proceeding through intersections.
By following these suggestions, Greensboro drivers can do their part to reduce the city’s overall crash risk.