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The majority of states that supply NC with new residents tend to have much lower fatality rates than NC, with the exception of SC. From my observations of living here for 9 years, there seems to be a high incidence of single-car accidents and drunk driving compared to my former state of NJ. Perhaps some of the natives should start looking in their rear-view mirrors and using turn signals before they accuse "outsiders" as being the predominant cause of NC's much-higher than average fatality rate.
The fact that the bulk of NC's traffic fatalities occur in rural areas partially supports your hypothesis. However, while only 30% of NC's traffic fatalities occur in urban areas, 88% of New Jersey's occur in urban areas. Based on that, it is not a stretch to assume that urban drivers from other states, NJ in particular, are skewing the data, and dying on Charlotte's roads.
The majority of states that supply NC with new residents tend to have much lower fatality rates than NC, with the exception of SC. From my observations of living here for 9 years, there seems to be a high incidence of single-car accidents and drunk driving compared to my former state of NJ. Perhaps some of the natives should start looking in their rear-view mirrors and using turn signals before they accuse "outsiders" as being the predominant cause of NC's much-higher than average fatality rate.
O.K. If it will make you feel better I am sure it is Charlotte natives (all 25 of us ) that cause most of the fatalities
Sad that people want to make this a native vs transplant issue...
Seriously, I think cell phone use should be outlawed here. I think people on their phones are the reason for most of the crazy driving. That and the a**holes that have an hour commute and think they have a right to zip in and out of traffic.
The fact that the bulk of NC's traffic fatalities occur in rural areas partially supports your hypothesis. However, while only 30% of NC's traffic fatalities occur in urban areas, 88% of New Jersey's occur in urban areas. Based on that, it is not a stretch to assume that urban drivers from other states, NJ in particular, are skewing the data, and dying on Charlotte's roads.
Only 5 percent of people in New Jersey live in rural areas. In NC, 33 percent of people live in rural areas. By that measure, NJ urbanites are safer drivers than NC urbanites.
Only 5 percent of people in New Jersey live in rural areas. In NC, 33 percent of people live in rural areas. By that measure, NJ urbanites are safer drivers than NC urbanites.
Garbage statistics. Take NY, for example: following the article's metric, an urban area is one with a population of more than 50,000 people. There are 14 "urban" areas in NY, that meet that criteria. Combined, those populations total 49% of NY state's population. An additional 7 million people would need to live in "urban" areas, for NY to have the 17% rural residency that your link lists. That's simply not the case.
When I moved back here in 2002, my car insurance went up substantially, as I was told that Charlotte is a high risk area for auto accidents (whatever that means).
That was 12 years ago.
I felt at that time, at least part of the problem was the lack of infrastructure to meet demand.
As time has elapsed since then, I have decided it is a combination of factors.
The infrastructure is definitely a HUGE problem.
Add aggressive driving style (which I see on the east coast in general in big cities) -- which has brought me to the conclusion that the aggression is often from people who have moved here from elsewhere.
Also, I have a lot of friends on FB who are from other regions, and the discussion on their pages is often about driving in the Charlotte area. They complain about getting speeding tickets, how "slow" NC drivers are, how mean-spirited folks are about merging traffic (not letting folks into a line of often slow moving traffic), etc. This has led me to wonder if the short tempers, aggressive driving style is often from transplants. NOT ALWAYS - but often.
I drive frequently on 485. It really chaps my hiney when I have moved into the middle lane in prep for it going to 2 lanes, and then folks wait til the last minute, and nearly cause an accident swooping in front of me at the last minute. We had several miles of warnings . . . why on earth didn't they fall in line like everyone else instead of causing me to slam on brakes and PRAY I am not going to hit them? No warning, no steady "beside me" with indicator light on, asking to please let them in front of me - just this sudden "out of nowhere" car (once in a while, with NJ or NY plates) suddenly swooping in front of me.
So what does this teach me? Now, I tend to not leave any space in front of my car, which is also dumb, as a few people slamming on brakes will mean I may not have enough space to stop, even in slow moving traffic. But it just peeves me no end that people will decide "I am not going to wait here in this line of traffic and take my turn with merging - I am going to gun it and go around 1 mile's worth of traffic and butt in line and save myself a few minutes."
I never have felt I had a bad attitude about driving, but I continually feel I have a bad attitude when driving in Charlotte traffic. I will be sailing along enjoying the drive from Boone . . . not even minding the crazy exchanges and changing speed zones on 321, I-85 . . . merge seamlessly onto 485 - and the madness begins. People act like utter fools.
So yes, I do think some of it is transplants. And I think some of it is from longer term residents and natives who have gotten piqued with the rude (and sometimes downright dangerous) actions of newcomers. I think if we had a more robust infrastructure (5 lanes each way on 485, for example) . . . a lot of the foolishness would simply dissipate. It has to be combination of factors.
... how mean-spirited folks are about merging traffic (not letting folks into a line of often slow moving traffic), etc. This has led me to wonder if the short tempers, aggressive driving style is often from transplants. NOT ALWAYS - but often.
I drive frequently on 485. It really chaps my hiney when I have moved into the middle lane in prep for it going to 2 lanes, and then folks wait til the last minute, and nearly cause an accident swooping in front of me at the last minute. We had several miles of warnings . . . why on earth didn't they fall in line like everyone else instead of causing me to slam on brakes and PRAY I am not going to hit them? No warning, no steady "beside me" with indicator light on, asking to please let them in front of me - just this sudden "out of nowhere" car (once in a while, with NJ or NY plates) suddenly swooping in front of me.
So what does this teach me? Now, I tend to not leave any space in front of my car, which is also dumb, as a few people slamming on brakes will mean I may not have enough space to stop, even in slow moving traffic. ...
Damn, this sounds like Boston driving. I'm glad to say I've noticed almost none of this in Raleigh (and more than happy to have left it behind up north); people seem perfectly happy to let you merge and pretty cooperative in general except for not using their blinkers.
... Some of these accidents defy logic and it made me wonder if Fast and Furious 6 just ended at Concord Mall because as soon as we hit Concord the driving got real intense.
In a nutshell, too many drivers looking at smart phones and not looking at the road.
I'm surprised there isn't more mayhem out there considering how many times I've seen drivers focused on their phones.
Damn, this sounds like Boston driving. I'm glad to say I've noticed almost none of this in Raleigh (and more than happy to have left it behind up north); people seem perfectly happy to let you merge and pretty cooperative in general except for not using their blinkers.
I use my blinkers all the time, but it seems more often than not, turning your blinker on to indicate a lane change is just a signal for the car in the next lane to speed up and cut you off rather than let you in. I can see why so many people don't indicate a lane change!
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) that cause most of the fatalities 
