Fatal Roads

States › Georgia › 1978

1978

Georgia · year

Georgia in 1978

Deaths 1,472Fatal crashes 1,290Per 100,000 —US deaths 50,331

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. Final FARS file for 1978.

In 1978, 1,472 people died in 1,290 fatal crashes in Georgia.

The death toll rose 7% from 1,372 in 1977 to 1,472 in 1978.

Georgia accounted for 2.9% of the 50,331 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

26.8% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

35% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

Compared with 1977 and the nation

MeasureGeorgia 1978Georgia 1977United States 1978
Deaths1,4721,37250,331
Fatal crashes1,2901,18844,433
Deaths per 100,000 residents———
Crashes with a drinking driver27%29%36%

Counties in 1978

Every county with a fatal crash in 1978, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 155 counties listed.

CountyFatal crashesDeathsPer 100,000Deaths 2015–2024
Fulton County12513912.71,289
DeKalb County737910.31,064
Cobb County51557.0613
Chatham County354113.3376
Richmond County373818.4328
Hall County303616.2263
Gwinnett County27323.2623
Bibb County272817.8353
Whitfield County202120.0149
Clayton County20206.7459
Carroll County182015.4234
Cherokee County17196.5181
Coweta County151811.4205
Worth County141888.878
Dougherty County171720.6144
Colquitt County121736.2115
Bartow County161613.6256
Floyd County151615.8177
Walker County151623.1102
Spalding County131622.8124
Habersham County121632.290
Henry County12155.8282
Clarke County141410.8129
Thomas County121430.494
Baldwin County91432.192
Walton County91412.8117
Lowndes County131310.6183
Troup County131318.2148
Fayette County101310.4110
Dodge County91366.250
Franklin County71351.683
Glynn County121213.9137
Twiggs County1012155.344
Grady County91245.760
Jackson County111111.7164
Douglas County10117.2195
Columbia County9116.6116
Monroe County101031.888
Gordon County91016.5104
Burke County81040.977
Emanuel County81043.167
Newton County8108.1187
Butts County71036.971
Harris County71027.176
Telfair County61090.931
Dawson County9926.758
Houston County995.1153
Murray County9921.874
Candler County8980.941
Appling County7948.244
Morgan County7941.066
Camden County6915.272
Hart County6932.157
Polk County8817.989
Meriwether County7837.365
Mitchell County7839.451
Rockdale County788.2130
Tattnall County7833.047
Bulloch County689.4153
Screven County6855.841
Turner County6888.722
Haralson County5824.784
Effingham County679.688
Lumpkin County6719.470
Brooks County5742.841
Wilkinson County5780.850
Paulding County473.7187
Crisp County6630.847
Dooly County6653.642
Forsyth County662.1149
Laurens County6611.9115
Liberty County668.7113
Pierce County6629.034
Putnam County6625.762
Toombs County6621.864
Bryan County5611.771
Charlton County5646.123
McDuffie County5627.655
Washington County5630.360
Lanier County4657.312
Macon County4650.744
Warren County36116.640
Calhoun County5591.98
Chattooga County5519.877
Dade County5531.150
Decatur County5517.086
Greene County5523.744
Jenkins County5556.637
Lee County5514.744
Terrell County5557.530
Tift County5512.081
Upson County4517.648
Wayne County4515.659
Banks County4419.752
Barrow County444.2138
Berrien County4421.436
Clinch County4458.220
Elbert County4419.850
Evans County4436.834
Jasper County4423.240
Madison County4412.262
Peach County4413.785
Seminole County4443.126
Sumter County4413.843
Talbot County4469.526
Brantley County3421.334
Catoosa County345.882
Heard County3433.040
Oglethorpe County3424.732
Jefferson County1–2426.648
Ben Hill County3317.723
Coffee County336.889
Cook County3316.769
Crawford County3324.327
Fannin County3311.646
Gilmer County339.074
Lamar County3314.534
Lincoln County3337.321
McIntosh County3325.453
Miller County3351.518
Pike County3314.547
Randolph County3349.312
Schley County3366.69
Taylor County3338.524
Baker County1–23109.816
Atkinson County1–21–2—27
Hancock County1–21–2—39
Irwin County1–21–2—25
Jeff Davis County1–21–2—34
Jones County1–21–2—48
Marion County1–21–2—18
Montgomery County1–21–2—34
Oconee County1–21–2—54
Pickens County1–21–2—62
Stewart County1–21–2—18
Treutlen County1–21–2—22
Ware County1–21–2—87
White County1–21–2—63
Wilcox County1–21–2—19
Wilkes County1–21–2—16
Long County1–21–2—34
Quitman County1–21–2—2
Rabun County1–21–2—62
Bacon County1–21–2—28
Bleckley County1–21–2—31
Chattahoochee County1–21–2—21
Clay County1–21–2—12
Early County1–21–2—38
Glascock County1–21–2—8
Johnson County1–21–2—14
Stephens County1–21–2—60
Towns County1–21–2—36
Union County1–21–2—44
Webster County1–21–2—16
Wheeler County1–21–2—29

Per 100,000 uses the 2024 population estimate for every year, so early-year rates are understated where a county has grown.

Hour of day

12am5%
1am5.1%
2am3.5%
3am2.5%
4am2.5%
5am2.4%
6am2%
7am2.4%
8am1.8%
9am2.4%
10am2.8%
11am3.3%
12pm2.8%
1pm4.4%
2pm3.9%
3pm4.8%
4pm6.7%
5pm6.8%
6pm6.7%
7pm6.5%
8pm5.8%
9pm5.8%
10pm5.4%
11pm4.7%

Weekday

Sunday15%
Monday11%
Tuesday11%
Wednesday9%
Thursday13%
Friday18%
Saturday23%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Georgia in 1978?

1,472 people in 1,290 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1978 file.

Which county in Georgia had the most crash deaths in 1978?

Fulton County with 139 deaths in 125 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1978 compare with 1977 in Georgia?

1,472 deaths against 1,372 in 1977 (+7%). Nationally the 1978 total was 50,331.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1978 national file (accident table); US Census Bureau population estimates (no county estimates before 2000 are used, so no rate is shown for this year). Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026.