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1979

Georgia · year

Georgia in 1979

Deaths 1,524Fatal crashes 1,331Per 100,000 —US deaths 51,093

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 1979.

In 1979, 1,524 people died in 1,331 fatal crashes in Georgia.

The death toll was about level between 1978 (1,472) and 1979 (1,524).

Georgia accounted for 3% of the 51,093 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

31.9% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

36% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

Compared with 1978 and the nation

MeasureGeorgia 1979Georgia 1978United States 1979
Deaths1,5241,47251,093
Fatal crashes1,3311,29045,223
Deaths per 100,000 residents———
Crashes with a drinking driver32%27%39%

Counties in 1979

Every county with a fatal crash in 1979, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 154 counties listed.

CountyFatal crashesDeathsPer 100,000Deaths 2015–2024
Fulton County12213412.31,289
DeKalb County819011.71,064
Cobb County53607.6613
Bibb County394528.7353
Richmond County373818.4328
Gwinnett County32383.8623
Chatham County333712.0376
Hall County273314.9263
Clayton County303210.7459
Carroll County202317.7234
Dougherty County182226.7144
Whitfield County172220.9149
Cherokee County20217.2181
Floyd County192120.7177
Coweta County142113.3205
Douglas County151711.2195
Walker County141724.5102
Henry County15166.2282
Forsyth County9165.7149
Lowndes County121512.3183
Bartow County131411.9256
Troup County131419.6148
Gordon County101423.0104
Emanuel County111356.067
Walton County111311.8117
Grady County101349.560
Worth County101364.278
Houston County9137.4153
Burke County81353.177
Oglethorpe County81380.432
Glynn County121213.9137
Franklin County101247.683
Harris County101232.576
Fayette County9129.6110
Thomas County91226.194
Toombs County71243.764
Decatur County111137.486
Clarke County10118.5129
Polk County101124.789
Jones County101034.448
Spalding County101014.2124
Tift County91024.081
Liberty County71014.6113
Meriwether County9942.065
Barrow County899.3138
Bryan County8917.671
Colquitt County8919.2115
Elbert County8944.750
Gilmer County8927.074
Rockdale County899.2130
Camden County6915.272
Jenkins County59101.937
Baldwin County8818.392
Crisp County8841.147
Coffee County7818.289
Effingham County7810.988
Wayne County7824.959
Butts County6829.571
Pierce County6838.734
Putnam County6834.262
Dade County7743.650
Haralson County7721.684
Laurens County7713.9115
Paulding County773.7187
Stephens County7725.560
Sumter County7724.243
Fannin County6727.146
Hart County6725.057
Jackson County677.5164
Mitchell County5734.451
Peach County5724.085
Catoosa County668.782
Jasper County6634.840
Telfair County6654.531
Ware County6616.687
Chattooga County5623.777
Greene County5628.444
Habersham County5612.190
Rabun County5633.962
Dooly County4653.642
Talbot County46104.326
Brantley County5526.634
Hancock County5557.639
Lumpkin County5513.970
McDuffie County5523.055
McIntosh County5542.453
Miller County5585.918
Seminole County5553.926
Upson County5517.648
Washington County5525.260
Wilkinson County5557.750
Bulloch County455.9153
Lee County4514.744
Murray County4512.174
Screven County4534.941
Taylor County4564.224
Turner County4555.422
Baker County44146.416
Candler County4435.941
Evans County4436.834
Johnson County4443.614
Madison County4412.262
Newton County443.2187
Oconee County448.954
Twiggs County4451.844
Wheeler County4456.529
Atkinson County3447.427
Crawford County3432.427
Dodge County3420.450
Monroe County3412.788
Schley County1–2488.89
Appling County3316.144
Calhoun County3355.18
Dawson County338.958
Early County3328.738
Heard County3324.840
Jeff Davis County3319.834
Lamar County3314.534
Lanier County3328.712
Marion County3339.318
Morgan County3313.766
Pike County3314.547
Pulaski County3329.518
Tattnall County3312.447
Treutlen County3346.722
Union County3310.944
Warren County3358.340
Wilkes County3331.416
Montgomery County1–2335.034
Ben Hill County1–21–2—23
Berrien County1–21–2—36
Brooks County1–21–2—41
Clay County1–21–2—12
Clinch County1–21–2—20
Cook County1–21–2—69
Irwin County1–21–2—25
Jefferson County1–21–2—48
Macon County1–21–2—44
Randolph County1–21–2—12
Stewart County1–21–2—18
Webster County1–21–2—16
White County1–21–2—63
Wilcox County1–21–2—19
Bacon County1–21–2—28
Banks County1–21–2—52
Bleckley County1–21–2—31
Chattahoochee County1–21–2—21
Columbia County1–21–2—116
Glascock County1–21–2—8
Long County1–21–2—34
Pickens County1–21–2—62
Taliaferro County1–21–2—25
Terrell County1–21–2—30
Towns County1–21–2—36

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

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

Weekday

Sunday16%
Monday11%
Tuesday11%
Wednesday12%
Thursday12%
Friday17%
Saturday22%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Georgia in 1979?

1,524 people in 1,331 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1979 file.

Which county in Georgia had the most crash deaths in 1979?

Fulton County with 134 deaths in 122 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1979 compare with 1978 in Georgia?

1,524 deaths against 1,472 in 1978 (+4%). Nationally the 1979 total was 51,093.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1979 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.