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FHWA Home / Safety / Transportation Safety Planning (TSP) / State Safety Fact Sheets

Program Contact

Jennifer Warren
jennifer.warren@dot.gov
(202) 366-2157
 

State Safety Fact Sheets

Georgia

FHWA-SA-11-38

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death in the United States.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of people who died in crashes across the country decreased from 37,423 in 2008 to 33,808 in 2009. In addition, the number of people injured declined for the ninth year in a row to just over 2.2 million. Even in light of these reductions, motor vehicle crashes remain a significant problem. To improve safety, a coordinated response is needed from all levels and branches of government – Federal agencies, State legislatures, city and county councils, and local agencies. A coordinated response should result in increased safety funding, more effective safety laws, and enhanced education, enforcement, engineering, and emergency response efforts targeting critical safety issues. As part of the overall strategy to reduce fatalities and serious injuries, Georgia has an approved Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), which identifies the following emphasis areas: aggressive driving, occupant protection, intersections, roadway departure, work zones, impaired driver, younger adult drivers, older drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, heavy trucks, motorcycles, trauma system/increasing EMS capabilities, traffic/crash records and data analysis, and traffic incident management. To obtain a copy of the SHSP, contact the State DOT or FHWA Division Office Safety Specialist.

Fatality Trends

Indicators GA U.S.
Total Fatalities
2009 1,284 33,808
Average: 2000-2009 1,579 41,157
Fatality Rate (per 100M VMT)
2009 1.18 1.14
Average: 2000-2009 1.43 1.41

Graph - Roadway fatalities in Georgia increased from 1,541 in 2000 to 1,729 in 2005 before decreasing to 1,284 in 2009. Fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled increased from 1.47 in 2000 to 1.52 in 2005 and decreased to 1.18 in 2009. Fatality rate in the country continuously decreased from 1.53 in 2000 to 1.14 in 2009.

Fatality rate is calculated based on State fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Total fatalities are taken from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).

Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2000-2008 Final & 2009 Annual Report File (ARF).

Safety Focus Areas

This chart represents national safety focus areas and their corresponding percentages of total crash fatalities in the State and in the Nation. More than one of these focus areas may be involved as contributing factors in a single crash.

Graph - Shows average fatalities between 2005 and 2009 as a percentage of total crash fatalities for various safety focus areas. Intersections 22 percent in Georgia, 21 percent nationwide; Roadway departure crashes 54 percent in Georgia, 53 percent nationwide; Pedestrian 10 percent in Georgia, 12 percent nationwide; Speeding 21 percent in Georgia, 32 percent nationwide; Alcohol-related crashes 31 percent Georgia, 37 percent nationwide; Unrestrained fatalities 38 percent Georgia, 36 percent nationwide; Fatalities involving large trucks 13 percent in Georgia, 11 percent nationwide.

In the graphic, "Intersections" refers to non-interchange intersection/intersection-related crashes; "Roadway Departures" refers to non-intersection crashes in which a vehicle crosses an edge line, a centerline, or leaves the traveled way (includes intersections at interchange areas); "Alcohol" refers to crashes involving a driver with a blood alcohol content (BAC) =.01+; "Unrestrained" refers to unrestrained passenger vehicles occupant fatalities (does not include unknown restraint use).

Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2000-2008 Final & 2009 Annual Report File (ARF).

Rural and Urban Roadway Fatalities

Pie chart - 48 percent of traffic-related fatalities occur on Georgia's urban roadways, 52 percent occur on the rural roads. Graph - Shows fatalities by rural roadway facility type from 2005 to 2009. Rural Interstate fatalities: 113 in 2005, 90 in 2006, 115 in 2007, 82 in 2008, 99 in 2009. Rural principal arterial fatalities: 151 in 2005, 106 in 2006, 154 in 2007, 97 in 2008, 97 in 2009. Rural minor arterial fatalities: 179 in 2005, 183 in 2006, 176 in 2007, 166 in 2008, 129 in 2009. Rural collector and local fatalities: 357 in 2005, 359 in 2006, 389 in 2007, 355 in 2008, 301 in 2009.

Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2000-2008 Final & 2009 Annual Report File (ARF).

Pie chart - 35 percent of traffic-related fatalities occur on the nation's urban roadways, 65 percent occur on the nation's rural roads. Graph - Shows fatalities by urban roadway facility type from 2005 to 2009. Urban Interstate fatalities: 113 in 2005, 126 in 2006, 130 in 2007, 137 in 2008, 106 in 2009. Urban principal arterial fatalities: 181 in 2005, 175 in 2006, 201 in 2007, 168 in 2008, 161 in 2009. Urban minor arterial fatalities: 198 in 2005, 205 in 2006, 221 in 2007, 232 in 2008, 202 in 2009. Urban collector and local fatalities: 163 in 2005, 219 in 2006, 185 in 2007, 150 in 2008, 141 in 2009.

Source: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2000-2008 Final & 2009 Annual Report File (ARF).

For the purposes of this document, the terms urban and rural are based on the definition published in the American National Standard (ANSI D16.1-1996).

For More Information

The Transportation Safety Planning Working Group

Fatality Analysis Reporting System

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Federal Highway Administration Division Office Contacts

Federal Highway Administration, Office of Planning

Federal Highway Administration, Office of Safety

Federal Highway Administration Resource Center

Contacts

Safety Specialist or Planning Team Leader
FHWA, Georgia Division
61 Forsyth St, SW, Suite 17T100
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 562-3630

Jennifer Warren
Transportation Specialist
FHWA, Office of Safety, E71-113
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20590
(202) 366-2157
Fax (202) 366-3222
Jennifer.Warren@dot.gov

Rae Keasler
Transportation Planner
FHWA, Office of Planning, E72-109
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20590
(202) 366-0329
Fax (202) 493-2198
Rae.Keasler@dot.gov

Safety and Design or Planning Team
FHWA Resource Center
One Prairie Office Center
4749 Lincoln Mall Drive, Suite 600
Matteson, IL 60443
Phone: (708) 283-3500
Fax: (708) 283-3501

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