Fatal Roads

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Alabama · county

Calhoun County

Residents 116,427Deaths 2024 24Deaths 2015–2024 208Latest data year 2024

FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024. Figures are aggregates from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System; no individual crash is identified.

Calhoun County, Alabama, recorded 24 deaths in 23 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 208 deaths in 195 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 116,427 residents, that is 18.0 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the Alabama rate of 19.3 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 20% from 174 in 2005–2014 to 208 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 18.3% against 12.0% for Alabama.

36% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Friday was the most common day (22%).

24deaths in 202423 fatal crashes
102deaths, 2020–2024208 over ten years
18.0per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 20.6
-7%vs Alabama ratestate 19.3 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

02141197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 24 deaths1976: 22 deaths1977: 23 deaths1978: 23 deaths1979: 12 deaths1980: 17 deaths1981: 13 deaths1982: 18 deaths1983: 25 deaths1984: 15 deaths1985: 20 deaths1986: 28 deaths1987: 41 deaths1988: 20 deaths1989: 28 deaths1990: 36 deaths1991: 34 deaths1992: 20 deaths1993: 13 deaths1994: 14 deaths1995: 23 deaths1996: 29 deaths1997: 24 deaths1998: 28 deaths1999: 29 deaths2000: 25 deaths2001: 27 deaths2002: 20 deaths2003: 28 deaths2004: 20 deaths2005: 22 deaths2006: 22 deaths2007: 23 deaths2008: 23 deaths2009: 24 deaths2010: 15 deaths2011: 15 deaths2012: 8 deaths2013: 9 deaths2014: 13 deaths2015: 15 deaths2016: 26 deaths2017: 21 deaths2018: 21 deaths2019: 23 deaths2020: 21 deaths2021: 19 deaths2022: 18 deaths2023: 20 deaths2024: 24 deaths
People killed in crashes in Calhoun County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 24 deaths.

Ten-year total up 20% (174 in 2005–2014, 208 in 2015–2024). The shaded band is the ten-year window used for rates and shares. County codes are matched to today's Census county list; a few historic code changes are merged.

Compared with Alabama and the nation

MeasureCalhounAlabamaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202418.019.311.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202420.618.711.5
Deaths, 2015–20242089,605389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241958,797358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+20%0%+7%
Crashes on rural roads46%59%43%

Rates divide deaths by Census Bureau population estimates for each year (residents, not road users; through traffic on major routes raises the rate of small counties). Population 116,427 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking14.4%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver25.1%
Pedestriansshare of people killed18.3%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed11.1%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used51.5%
In darknesscrashes after dark46.2%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads46.4%

tick marks the Alabama share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

"Alcohol" counts crashes where police reported at least one driver as drinking (FARS DR_DRINK), not the BAC-based alcohol-impaired measure NHTSA publishes separately. "Speeding" counts crashes with a driver coded as racing, exceeding the limit or too fast for conditions. Details in the methodology. Factor pages: alcohol, speeding, pedestrians, motorcycles, unrestrained occupants.

Time of day and day of week

12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Calhoun County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 195 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Friday22%
Wednesday16%
Tuesday15%
Monday14%
Sunday13%
Thursday10%
Saturday9%

Light condition

Daylight49%
Dark, not lighted35%
Dark, lighted11%
Dusk3%
Dawn2%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Minor arterial36%
Other principal arterial35%
Local13%
Major collector11%
Interstate4%
Other freeways and expressways0%
Minor collector0%

FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the Alabama share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.

Weather

Clear58%
Cloudy28%
Rain11%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Calhoun

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 431US highway2012213316%15%
2State Route 21State highway209010317%19%
3US Route SRUS highway1662569820%20%
4US Route 78US highway1229327%17%
5Interstate 20Interstate89711116%31%
6State Route 77State highway7515422%20%
7US Route 278US highway6505612%18%
8State Route 9State highway6465122%30%
9State Route 1State highway2333518%12%

Signed routes (Interstate, US and state highways) that have a page on this site, ranked by fatal crashes in this county over 2015–2024; "fatal crashes" and "deaths" columns are the statewide totals for the route. Local streets and county roads are not listed.

By year, 2015–2024

YearFatal crashesDeathsDrinking-driver crashesPer 100,000
202423241–220.6AL 2024
202317201–217.2AL 2023
20221818615.5AL 2022
20211619016.3AL 2021
20202121418.0AL 2020
201923231–219.8AL 2019
20181921418.0AL 2018
201721211–218.0AL 2017
20162226422.3AL 2016
20151515412.9AL 2015

Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule). Per-100,000 uses the 2024 population for every year in this table; the ten-year rate above uses each year's estimate.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Calhoun County, Alabama?

24 people died in 23 fatal crashes in 2024; 102 over 2020–2024 and 208 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Calhoun compare with Alabama?

18.0 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 19.3 for Alabama and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Calhoun involved alcohol?

14.4% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 25.4% in Alabama. The factor furthest above the state share was pedestrians at 18.3%.

Which roads in Calhoun see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 431 (20 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 21 (20 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route SR (16 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Calhoun?

Most often between noon to 6pm (36% of crashes) and on Fridays (22%); 46.2% happened after dark.

Where does this data come from?

NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files (1975–2024) and Census Bureau county population estimates. Figures are aggregates; no individual crash is identified. See the methodology page for definitions.

Provenance

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, annual national CSV files 1975–2024 (accident table for every year; vehicle and person tables for 2015–2024), public domain. Population: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals (vintages 2000–2010, 2010–2020 and 2020–2024). Data through 31 Dec 2024; page generated 30 Sep 2026. Processing errors are corrected at the next build; see corrections and sources.