Car accident statistics for Rutherford County, Tennessee (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Rutherford County by year

Car accident deaths fell from 40 in 2020 to 26 in 2021, then rose to 37 in 2022. The count fell to 34 in 2023 before rising to 44 in 2024. The highest yearly count was 44 in 2024; the lowest was 26 in 2021. The 2024 count was 4 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths followed a separate series: 46 in 2020, 30 in 2021, 39 in 2022, 37 in 2023 and 44 in 2024. Car accident deaths represented 87.0% of traffic deaths in 2020, 86.7% in 2021, 94.9% in 2022, 91.9% in 2023 and 100.0% in 2024. The highest all-traffic death count occurred in 2020.^{[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 Rutherford County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 150 deaths, or 82.9% of car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 13 deaths, or 7.2%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 18 deaths, or 9.9%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

These labels classify people killed in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. The Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) label is not a literal test of whether someone was outside a vehicle. For readers searching for a car accident lawyer, retain these category distinctions when reading the counts.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Manner of collision describes the first harmful event. Angle (side impact) accounted for 40 deaths, or 22.1%; Head-on for 30, or 16.6%; Rear-end for 15, or 8.3%; and Sideswipe for 8, or 4.4%. Other accounted for 1 death, or 0.6%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The largest row, Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport, recorded 87 deaths, or 48.1%. Its first harmful event was not a collision between motor vehicles in transport. Examples include striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. A vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic; physical movement does not define this car accident classification.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Daytime, defined as 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 93 car accident deaths, or 51.4%. Nighttime, from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 82 deaths, or 45.3%. Time of day was unknown for 6 deaths, or 3.3%. These figures cover 2020 through 2024.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The urban classification recorded 139 deaths, or 76.8%, while the rural classification recorded 42 deaths, or 23.2%. Car accident deaths in crashes that also involved a large truck numbered 21, representing 11.6% of the selected deaths. That figure counts deaths in those crashes, rather than the number of large trucks involved.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Tennessee and the United States

Rutherford County's car accident death rate was 10.0 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. Tennessee's rate was 15.6, and the national rate was 10.5. The county rate was lower than both. Among the listed neighboring counties, Davidson County had the higher rate at 15.1, while Wilson County's rate was 12.7. Rutherford County's rate was lower than each listed neighbor's rate.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

These rates divide deaths during the period by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates and multiply by 100,000. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. The separately shown July 1, 2024 population estimate of 380,086 is not the rate's denominator; the calculation uses annual estimates across the period.^{[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 Rutherford County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accident crashes. Shares of all traffic deaths were 17.9% for Speeding-related, 57.1% for Roadway departure, 15.8% for At an intersection and 8.2% for Pedestrian involved.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Motorcycle involved accounted for 10.7% of all traffic deaths; Hit-and-run for 5.1%; Driver distraction reported for 5.6%; and In a work zone for 2.6%. Roadway departure had the largest listed share. A crash can have several characteristics, so these rows overlap and do not add to 100%. The characteristics are not findings of fault or cause.^{[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 is a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Inclusion requires a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and an occupant or nonoccupant death within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. County counts use crash location, not the residence of those killed.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files. Figures for 2024 use the Annual Report File and may change when NHTSA replaces it with the Final File. Car accident rates use Census Bureau Vintage 2025 annual population estimates: deaths divided by the sum of estimates for 2020 through 2024, multiplied by 100,000. This produces average annual deaths per 100,000 residents, without adjustment for miles driven or visitors.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Car accident statistics for Davidson County, Tennessee (2020-2024)
• Tennessee car accident statistics (2020-2024)