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1981

Georgia · year

Georgia in 1981

Deaths 1,418Fatal crashes 1,256Per 100,000 —US deaths 49,301

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 1981.

In 1981, 1,418 people died in 1,256 fatal crashes in Georgia.

The death toll fell 6% from 1,508 in 1980 to 1,418 in 1981.

Georgia accounted for 2.9% of the 49,301 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

43.2% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

37% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

Compared with 1980 and the nation

MeasureGeorgia 1981Georgia 1980United States 1981
Deaths1,4181,50849,301
Fatal crashes1,2561,34844,000
Deaths per 100,000 residents———
Crashes with a drinking driver43%42%41%

Counties in 1981

Every county with a fatal crash in 1981, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 150 counties listed.

CountyFatal crashesDeathsPer 100,000Deaths 2015–2024
Fulton County13815113.81,289
Cobb County58688.6613
DeKalb County64658.41,064
Bibb County384327.4353
Richmond County333717.9328
Gwinnett County32373.7623
Chatham County293210.4376
Clayton County293210.7459
Hall County242410.8263
Carroll County182116.2234
Houston County162011.4153
Dougherty County161923.1144
Whitfield County161918.1149
Floyd County141918.7177
Bartow County181815.3256
Clarke County161713.1129
Glynn County151719.6137
Cherokee County14175.8181
Baldwin County141534.492
Sumter County141551.843
Laurens County101529.8115
Colquitt County111429.8115
Douglas County13138.6195
Lowndes County131310.6183
Thomas County131328.294
Habersham County121326.290
Coweta County11138.2205
Forsyth County11124.3149
Troup County111216.8148
Tift County101228.881
Bryan County81223.571
Cook County71266.769
Columbia County10116.6116
Gordon County101118.1104
Paulding County9115.8187
Walker County101014.4102
Henry County9103.9282
Jackson County71010.7164
Camden County9915.272
Polk County8920.289
Walton County898.2117
Jones County7931.048
Pickens County7924.662
Murray County6921.874
Pierce County6943.534
Bulloch County889.4153
Liberty County8811.7113
Effingham County7810.988
Fayette County786.4110
Madison County7824.462
Stephens County7829.160
Upson County7828.248
Decatur County6827.286
Terrell County6892.030
Burke County7728.677
Mitchell County7734.451
Ware County7719.387
Wayne County7721.859
Chattooga County6727.777
Toombs County6725.564
McDuffie County5732.255
Dawson County4720.758
Elbert County6629.850
Emanuel County6625.867
McIntosh County6650.853
Treutlen County6693.522
Twiggs County6677.644
Worth County6629.678
Ben Hill County5635.423
Jasper County5634.840
Rabun County5633.962
Long County4629.434
Schley County46133.29
Taylor County4677.124
Dade County3637.350
Atkinson County1–2671.127
Heard County1–2649.540
Appling County5526.844
Bacon County5545.328
Berrien County5526.836
Brantley County5526.634
Catoosa County557.382
Grady County5519.060
Monroe County5515.988
Muscogee County552.5232
Newton County554.0187
Tattnall County5520.647
Turner County5555.422
Barrow County455.2138
Jefferson County4533.348
Pike County3524.247
Wilkinson County3557.750
Baker County44146.416
Brooks County4424.541
Echols County44108.29
Hart County4414.357
Jenkins County4445.337
Johnson County4443.614
Morgan County4418.266
Oconee County448.954
Pulaski County4439.318
Randolph County4465.712
Spalding County445.7124
Union County4414.544
Banks County3419.752
Crisp County3420.547
Putnam County3417.162
Bleckley County3323.831
Crawford County3324.327
Fannin County3311.646
Gilmer County339.074
Greene County3314.244
Lamar County3314.534
Lee County338.844
Montgomery County3335.034
Peach County3310.385
Seminole County3332.326
Taliaferro County33185.225
Towns County3322.836
White County3310.163
Clay County1–23106.612
Butts County1–21–2—71
Clinch County1–21–2—20
Coffee County1–21–2—89
Evans County1–21–2—34
Franklin County1–21–2—83
Haralson County1–21–2—84
Lincoln County1–21–2—21
Macon County1–21–2—44
Meriwether County1–21–2—65
Miller County1–21–2—18
Oglethorpe County1–21–2—32
Rockdale County1–21–2—130
Screven County1–21–2—41
Talbot County1–21–2—26
Warren County1–21–2—40
Washington County1–21–2—60
Jeff Davis County1–21–2—34
Wilcox County1–21–2—19
Candler County1–21–2—41
Charlton County1–21–2—23
Chattahoochee County1–21–2—21
Dodge County1–21–2—50
Dooly County1–21–2—42
Early County1–21–2—38
Hancock County1–21–2—39
Harris County1–21–2—76
Quitman County1–21–2—2
Stewart County1–21–2—18
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

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

Weekday

Sunday13%
Monday11%
Tuesday11%
Wednesday12%
Thursday14%
Friday16%
Saturday23%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Georgia in 1981?

1,418 people in 1,256 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1981 file.

Which county in Georgia had the most crash deaths in 1981?

Fulton County with 151 deaths in 138 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1981 compare with 1980 in Georgia?

1,418 deaths against 1,508 in 1980 (+-6%). Nationally the 1981 total was 49,301.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1981 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.