Fatal Roads

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Whitfield County

Residents 105,070Deaths 2024 7Deaths 2015–2024 149Latest 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.

Whitfield County, Georgia, recorded 7 deaths in 7 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 149 deaths in 141 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 105,070 residents, that is 14.3 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the Georgia rate of 14.8 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 6% from 159 in 2005–2014 to 149 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 21.5% against 17.1% for Georgia.

33% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Tuesday was the most common day (17%).

7deaths in 20247 fatal crashes
80deaths, 2020–2024149 over ten years
14.3per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 6.7
-3%vs Georgia ratestate 14.8 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01529197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 8 deaths1976: 20 deaths1977: 19 deaths1978: 21 deaths1979: 22 deaths1980: 18 deaths1981: 19 deaths1982: 10 deaths1983: 16 deaths1984: 15 deaths1985: 20 deaths1986: 16 deaths1987: 21 deaths1988: 21 deaths1989: 16 deaths1990: 25 deaths1991: 16 deaths1992: 10 deaths1993: 13 deaths1994: 9 deaths1995: 20 deaths1996: 20 deaths1997: 13 deaths1998: 12 deaths1999: 18 deaths2000: 17 deaths2001: 13 deaths2002: 16 deaths2003: 20 deaths2004: 20 deaths2005: 18 deaths2006: 23 deaths2007: 26 deaths2008: 15 deaths2009: 21 deaths2010: 4 deaths2011: 14 deaths2012: 13 deaths2013: 12 deaths2014: 13 deaths2015: 17 deaths2016: 13 deaths2017: 13 deaths2018: 13 deaths2019: 13 deaths2020: 16 deaths2021: 29 deaths2022: 16 deaths2023: 12 deaths2024: 7 deaths
People killed in crashes in Whitfield County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 7 deaths.

Ten-year total down 6% (159 in 2005–2014, 149 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 Georgia and the nation

MeasureWhitfieldGeorgiaUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202414.314.811.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20246.712.511.5
Deaths, 2015–202414915,801389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–202414114,652358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-6%+14%+7%
Crashes on rural roads29%36%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 105,070 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking11.3%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver16.3%
Pedestriansshare of people killed21.5%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed11.4%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used34.4%
In darknesscrashes after dark42.6%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads29.1%

tick marks the Georgia 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 Whitfield County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 141 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Tuesday17%
Thursday16%
Monday15%
Wednesday15%
Sunday14%
Friday13%
Saturday9%

Light condition

Daylight55%
Dark, not lighted38%
Dark, lighted4%
Dawn2%
Dusk1%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Minor arterial22%
Interstate21%
Other principal arterial21%
Major collector15%
Local12%
Minor collector7%
Other freeways and expressways1%

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

Weather

Clear68%
Cloudy22%
Rain9%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain1%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Whitfield

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 75Interstate3164773015%15%
2State Route 3State highway151571626%13%
3State Route 52State highway956577%21%
4US Route 41US highway4848813%13%
5State Route 2State highway4556413%20%
6US Route 76US highway1283014%18%

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
2024771–26.7GA 2024
202311121–211.4GA 2023
20221616015.2GA 2022
20212629327.6GA 2021
202015161–215.2GA 2020
20191313012.4GA 2019
201812131–212.4GA 2018
201713131–212.4GA 2017
201612131–212.4GA 2016
20151617516.2GA 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 Whitfield County, Georgia?

7 people died in 7 fatal crashes in 2024; 80 over 2020–2024 and 149 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Whitfield compare with Georgia?

14.3 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 14.8 for Georgia and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Whitfield involved alcohol?

11.3% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 19.6% in Georgia. The factor furthest above the state share was pedestrians at 21.5%.

Which roads in Whitfield see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 75 (31 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 3 (15 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 52 (9 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Whitfield?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (33% of crashes) and on Tuesdays (17%); 42.6% 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.