Car accident statistics for Chatham County, Georgia (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Chatham County by year

Car accident deaths rose from 29 in 2020 to 35 in 2021, then fell to 32 in 2022. The count rose to 34 in 2023 before falling to 23 in 2024. The highest count was 35 in 2021, and the lowest was 23 in 2024. The 2024 count was 6 deaths lower than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The corresponding shares of all traffic deaths were 85.3% in 2020, 87.5% in 2021, 80.0% in 2022, 87.2% in 2023 and 79.3% in 2024. All traffic deaths numbered 34 in 2020, 40 in 2021, 40 in 2022, 39 in 2023 and 29 in 2024. These annual columns distinguish deaths in passenger-vehicle-involved crashes from deaths across all vehicle types.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Deaths within 30 days in crashes on public roads. 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised.

Who died in Chatham County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 72 deaths, or 47.1% of car accident deaths during 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 24 deaths, or 15.7%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 57 deaths, or 37.3%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Each category counts deaths in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. The classification does not restrict the count to people traveling in passenger vehicles. For readers searching for a car accident lawyer, keep the person-category labels attached to their respective counts.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Angle (side impact) accounted for 28 deaths, or 18.3%; Head-on for 11, or 7.2%; Rear-end for 15, or 9.8%; and Sideswipe for 5, or 3.3%. Other accounted for 1 death, or 0.7%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 93 car accident deaths, or 60.8%. This describes the first harmful event, which may involve striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover, rather than a collision between motor vehicles in transport. A vehicle stopped in traffic can be in transport; the classification does not test whether another vehicle was physically moving.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Nighttime, defined as 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 105 car accident deaths, or 68.6%, during 2020 through 2024. Daytime, from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 48 deaths, or 31.4%. The nighttime count was higher than the daytime count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land-use classification recorded 143 deaths as urban, or 93.5%, and 9 as rural, or 5.9%. Unknown land use accounted for 1 death, or 0.7%. Crashes that also involved a large truck accounted for 21 deaths, or 13.7% of the passenger-vehicle-involved death count. These are deaths in qualifying crashes, rather than a count of large trucks.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Georgia and the United States

Chatham County's car accident death rate was 10.1 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. Georgia's rate was 13.3, and the United States rate was 10.5. The county rate was lower than both the state and national rates. No neighboring county rates are listed in the supplied figures.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

These rates use deaths divided by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates for the period, multiplied by 100,000. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. The county's 153 deaths, Georgia's 7,280 deaths and the United States' 176,219 deaths are the respective death counts for the period; the rate column expresses each area's average annual deaths relative to its population estimates.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates, so they show deaths per 100,000 residents per year. They do not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.

Recorded characteristics of all fatal crashes

Recorded characteristics cover all fatal crashes in Chatham County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accident deaths. Shares use all traffic deaths: Speeding-related, 26.9%; Roadway departure, 31.9%; At an intersection, 29.1%; Pedestrian involved, 31.9%; Motorcycle involved, 20.3%; Hit-and-run, 10.4%; Driver distraction reported, 4.4%; and In a work zone, 5.5%.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can have several recorded characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These entries are recorded characteristics, not findings of fault or cause. Their percentages use a different death-count denominator from the passenger-vehicle-involved sections.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can carry several characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These are recorded characteristics, not findings of fault.

About these figures

FARS counts fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes on trafficways customarily open to the public when an occupant or nonoccupant dies within 30 days. It excludes nonfatal crashes and injuries. County assignment follows crash location, not where those killed lived. The 2020 through 2023 records are Final Files; 2024 uses the Annual Report File, subject to revision when NHTSA supplies the Final File.^[8][6][7]

Car accident rates divide 2020 through 2024 deaths by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates, Vintage 2025, and multiply by 100,000. The result is average annual deaths per 100,000 residents. The separate July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the denominator. Rates do not adjust for miles driven or visitors.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Liability and comparative fault in Georgia
• Georgia crash-claim deadlines
• Georgia car accident statistics (2020-2024)