Georgia Injury Lawyers Blog
Despite our efforts to make our roads safer, the unfortunate reality is that the number of car accident fatalities is trending upward. The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety has compiled statistics for the years 2009 through 2018, demonstrating an overall increase over the 10 year period. This is alarming for anyone traveling on our highways and underlines the potential hazards that most of us face every day.
State-wide Car Accident Fatalities
The number of accidents across the state of Georgia has increased during the 2009-2018 time period. There is some fluctuation, but the overall trend is upward.
- There were 1,292 total fatalities in 2009 vs. 1,501 total fatalities in 2018
- 2016 had the highest number of traffic fatalities with 1556 –
- The number of fatal accidents on rural roads has seen an overall decline, while fatal accidents on urban roads have seen a sharp increase
Of course, some of the increase in fatal accidents can be perhaps explained by an increase in population. However, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety began tracking the fatality rate per 100,000 people in 2014. Here is what those statistics show:
- In 2014, Georgia’s rate of accident fatalities was 11.56
- In 2018, the accident fatality rate was 14.30
Again, there is some fluctuation, and the fatality rate declined in both 2017 and 2018 following a high of 15.1 in 2016. However, Georgia’s accident fatality rate is significantly higher than the nationwide average for each year:
Georgia Car Accident Fatalities vs. Nationwide Statistics
The governor’s report also compares Georgia’s fatal accident rates against the nationwide fatality rate. Again, the results are not encouraging, as Georgia consistently has a higher fatality rate:
- 2014: 11.56 (Georgia) vs. 10.28 (U.S.)
- 2015: 14.07 (Georgia) vs. 11.06 (U.S.)
- 2016: 15.10 (Georgia) vs. 11.70 (U.S.)
- 2017: 14.79 (Georgia) vs. 11.52 (U.S.)
- 2018: 14.30 (Georgia) vs. 11.17 (U.S.)
It’s interesting to note that the nationwide fatality rate has hovered around 11 deaths per 100,000 of population while Georgia’s increased from 11.56 deaths to as high as 15.10 deaths per 100,000 people.
Fatalities by County in Georgia
The governor’s report also ranks the top 10 counties in Georgia for car accident fatalities:
- Fulton County
- Dekalb County
- Gwinnett County
- Cobb County
- Clayton County
- Chatham County
- Bibb County
- Bartow County
- Floyd County
- Hall County
It is not surprising to see that Fulton County and those surrounding Atlanta have the highest number of car accident fatalities. However, it is surprising to see Bibb, Bartow, Floyd, and Hall Counties in the top ten.
Contact a Georgia Fatal Car Accident Lawyer
A death in the family is always difficult, but a fatal car accident can be especially traumatic. In addition to the loss of a loved one, you may now be faced with significant financial challenges – unplanned-for medical expenses, funeral costs, and the loss of income. If you’ve lost a loved one in a car accident, the Georgia attorneys at Slappey & Sadd can help you get the compensation you deserve. To schedule a free consultation with one of our fatal car accident attorneys, contact us at 888-474-9616 today.