792 CRASHES IN
ALABAMA
2010

In 2010, vehicle occupants constituted the largest group of casualties, with 795 fatalities and 602 injuries. Vulnerable road users also suffered significant losses, including 61 pedestrians killed and 5 injured. Additionally, 6 bicyclists were killed and 1 was injured in these fatal crashes.

Fatal crashes occurred most frequently on Saturdays, which saw 148 incidents in 2010. The single most common hour for fatal crashes was 6 p.m., with 50 events recorded. Overall, fatal crashes were slightly more common during daylight hours (401 crashes) compared to dark conditions (352 crashes).

The vast majority of fatal crashes in 2010 occurred in favorable environmental conditions. Specifically, 693 crashes (87.5%) happened in clear weather, and 401 crashes (50.6%) occurred during daylight hours. Crashes in adverse weather were less frequent, with 72 incidents reported during rain.

Analysis of the 1,882 people involved in fatal crashes shows the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 269 individuals, followed by the 35-44 age group with 247 individuals. Among the 1,165 vehicles involved, Ford (209 vehicles) and Chevrolet (185 vehicles) were the most frequently recorded makes.

The highest number of fatal crashes occurred in zones with a posted speed limit of 55 mph, accounting for 226 incidents or 28.5% of the total. The 45 mph speed zone had the second-highest frequency with 192 fatal crashes. For every speed limit zone reported, 100% of the crashes recorded in this dataset were fatal, as the data source exclusively tracks fatal incidents.

The most common type of fatal incident was not a collision with another motor vehicle in transport, accounting for 489 crashes or 61.7% of the total. These incidents typically involve a single vehicle. Angle collisions were the most frequent type of multi-vehicle fatal crash, with 153 occurrences, representing 19.3% of events.

Among vehicles involved in fatal crashes, passenger cars were the most common, led by 4-door sedans (348 vehicles). Light trucks, including standard pickups (166) and compact utility vehicles (135), were also frequently involved. Motorcycles represented a notable share with 84 vehicles, while large trucks, including truck-tractors and single-unit trucks, accounted for 104 vehicles.

A significant majority of fatal crashes in 2010 occurred on rural roadways, with 480 incidents, compared to 304 in urban areas. This means 61.2% of classified fatal crashes happened in rural settings. This represents a disproportionate share of fatalities, as rural roads often feature higher speeds and longer emergency response times relative to the volume of traffic they carry.

Analysis of roadway types shows that local roads were the site of the most fatal crashes, with 241 incidents. Arterial roads, combining principal and minor classifications, collectively accounted for 254 fatal crashes. Interstates were the location for 86 fatal crashes, while collector roads accounted for 140.

Of the 1,882 individuals involved in fatal crashes, the majority were drivers, accounting for 1,161 people or 61.7% of the total. Passengers made up the next largest group with 645 individuals (34.3%). Non-occupants included 66 pedestrians and 7 bicyclists.

Among the 1,882 people involved in these fatal crashes, 862 individuals sustained fatal injuries, representing 45.8% of the total. An additional 608 people were injured, including 346 with serious injuries. There were 412 individuals who were involved in these fatal incidents but sustained no injuries.

Safety equipment usage data reveals that among occupants where restraint use was specified, a significant portion were unrestrained. While 905 occupants were reported as using a shoulder and lap belt, 628 were recorded as using no restraint at all. Among motorcyclists with known helmet status, 70 wore a DOT-compliant helmet while 12 wore no helmet.

The front of the vehicle was the most common point of impact in fatal crashes. This area, designated as the '12 Clock Point,' was the initial impact point for 607 vehicles, representing over half of the vehicles with a recorded impact location. Side impacts to the '3 Clock Point' (66) and '9 Clock Point' (65) were the next most frequent.

A majority of fatal crashes involved only a single vehicle. These 465 single-vehicle incidents account for 58.7% of all fatal crashes in 2010. Crashes involving two vehicles were the next most common scenario, with 278 occurrences (35.1%), while crashes with three or more vehicles were less frequent.