| Data years | 2020-2024[1][2][3][4][5] |
|---|---|
| Deaths in car accidents, 2020-2024 | 598[1][2][3][4][5] |
| Deaths in car accidents, 2024 | 88[5] |
| Average annual deaths per 100,000 residents | 11.1[1][2][3][4][5][6] |
| Population, July 1, 2024 (estimate) | 1,090,468[6] |
| 2024 data file | FARS Annual Report File[5] |
Fulton County, Georgia recorded 598 car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024, a span that also saw 665 all traffic deaths, putting the car accident share at 89.9%. In 2024 alone, car accidents in the county claimed 88 lives. These figures come from crashes on public roads where someone died within 30 days, and they are grouped by where the crash happened rather than where anyone lived.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
On this page, a car accident is a fatal crash involving at least one passenger vehicle, meaning a passenger car, SUV, pickup or van. The deaths counted include people riding in those passenger vehicles, people in other types of vehicles, and nonoccupants, following the FARS person-type grouping. Figures throughout this page draw on NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System together with Census Bureau population estimates.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Contents
Car accident deaths in Fulton County by year
Car accident deaths in Fulton County moved across the five years covered here: 132 in 2020, 142 in 2021, 136 in 2022, 100 in 2023, and 88 in 2024. The highest year was 2021 with 142 deaths, while the lowest was 2024 with 88 deaths. Between 2020 and 2024, the count was 44 deaths lower, going from 132 down to 88.[1][2][3][4][5]
Fatal crashes tied to car accidents totaled 542 across the five-year span. Each year's figure reflects deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public roadway, counted at the location where the crash occurred.[1][2][3][4][5]
| Year | Deaths in car accidents | All traffic deaths | Share in car accidents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 132 | 145 | 91.0% |
| 2021 | 142 | 153 | 92.8% |
| 2022 | 136 | 160 | 85.0% |
| 2023 | 100 | 112 | 89.3% |
| 2024 | 88 | 95 | 92.6% |
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 Fulton County car accidents
Among the 598 car accident deaths recorded in Fulton County from 2020 to 2024, People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 381 deaths, a 63.7% share, making up the majority of the total. People in other vehicles made up 42 deaths, or 7.0%. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 175 deaths, representing 29.3% of the total.[1][2][3][4][5][7]
These three categories together account for every person counted in the county's car accident death figures for this period.[1][2][3][4][5][7]
How the fatal car crashes happened
Manner of collision data for the 598 car accident deaths shows Angle (side impact) crashes accounting for 106 deaths, or 17.7%, and Head-on crashes for 75 deaths, or 12.5%. Rear-end crashes made up 42 deaths (7.0%), and Sideswipe crashes made up 30 deaths (5.0%). One death fell under Other, a 0.2% share.[1][2][3][4][5][7]
The largest category, Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport, accounted for 344 deaths, a 57.5% share. This row covers crashes whose first harmful event was not a collision between motor vehicles in transport, such as striking a nonoccupant, a parked vehicle or a fixed object, or a rollover.[1][2][3][4][5][7]
Time of day and setting
Of the 598 car accident deaths recorded in Fulton County from 2020 to 2024, Nighttime hours from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. accounted for 410 deaths, a 68.6% share, compared with 188 deaths, or 31.4%, during Daytime hours from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. Urban areas accounted for 586 deaths, or 98.0%, while Rural areas accounted for 12 deaths, or 2.0%.[1][2][3][4][5]
Among those 598 car accident deaths, 55 occurred in crashes that also involved a large truck, a 9.2% share of the total.[1][2][3][4][5]
Car accident death rate compared with Georgia and the United States
Fulton County's average annual rate stands at 11.1 deaths per 100,000 residents, compared with 13.3 for Georgia and 10.5 for the United States. Among the listed neighboring counties, DeKalb County, Georgia shows a rate of 14.3, Cobb County, Georgia shows 7.9, Gwinnett County, Georgia shows 5.7, and Clayton County, Georgia shows 15.1. Among the areas compared, Clayton County, Georgia has the highest rate and Gwinnett County, Georgia has the lowest.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
This rate reflects average annual deaths per 100,000 residents and does not adjust for miles driven or for visitors to the county.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
| Area | Deaths, 2020-2024 | Average annual deaths per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| Fulton County, Georgia | 598 | 11.1 |
| Georgia | 7,280 | 13.3 |
| United States | 176,219 | 10.5 |
| DeKalb County, Georgia (neighbor) | 549 | 14.3 |
| Cobb County, Georgia (neighbor) | 305 | 7.9 |
| Gwinnett County, Georgia (neighbor) | 278 | 5.7 |
| Clayton County, Georgia (neighbor) | 226 | 15.1 |
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
Looking at recorded characteristics across all fatal crashes in Fulton County, of any vehicle type, as shares of all traffic deaths, Roadway departure appears in 263 deaths, a 39.5% share, the largest among the characteristics listed. Pedestrian involvement appears in 204 deaths (30.7%), and Speeding-related crashes in 184 deaths (27.7%). At an intersection accounts for 157 deaths (23.6%), Hit-and-run for 72 deaths (10.8%), and Motorcycle involved for 66 deaths (9.9%).[1][2][3][4][5]
Driver distraction reported and In a work zone each appear in 16 deaths, a 2.4% share apiece, the smallest figures among this group. Because a single crash can carry several characteristics, these rows overlap and do not sum to 100%.[1][2][3][4][5]
| Recorded crash characteristic (all fatal crashes) | Deaths, 2020-2024 | Share of all traffic deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding-related | 184 | 27.7% |
| Roadway departure | 263 | 39.5% |
| At an intersection | 157 | 23.6% |
| Pedestrian involved | 204 | 30.7% |
| Motorcycle involved | 66 | 9.9% |
| Hit-and-run | 72 | 10.8% |
| Driver distraction reported | 16 | 2.4% |
| In a work zone | 16 | 2.4% |
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
These figures come from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes that includes any crash on a public trafficway where an occupant or nonoccupant dies within 30 days. Data for 2020 through 2023 come from FARS Final Files, while the 2024 figures come from the Annual Report File, which NHTSA may later revise when the Final File is released. Counts are grouped by the county where each crash happened rather than by the residency of those killed, a distinction worth keeping in mind if you are a car accident lawyer reviewing these figures for a particular case.[8][6][7]
Rates divide five-year deaths by summed annual population estimates from the Census Bureau and multiply by 100,000, producing an average annual figure that leaves out miles driven and visitor traffic. FARS covers fatal crashes only, so nonfatal crashes and injuries do not appear anywhere on this page.[8][6][7]
See also
References
- abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2020 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2021 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2022 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2023 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwx "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024 national data files (Annual Report File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghi "Annual resident population estimates for counties, April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025 (CO-EST2025-ALLDATA)". U.S. Census Bureau. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefgh "Fatality Analysis Reporting System Analytical User's Manual, 1975-2024 (DOT HS 813 794)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- ab "Overview of motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2024 (DOT HS 813 791, April 2026)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record