Fatal Crashes Only
This report covers fatal crashes only, from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System — the federal census of every crash on a US public road that killed someone within 30 days. It does not include injury or property-damage-only crashes, and its totals are not comparable with the all-severity crash reports published elsewhere on this site.
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YEAR-OVER-YEAR CRASH REPORT · ALABAMA · 2011
Purpose: Machine-readable JSON endpoint for AI agents, LLMs, researchers, and programmatic consumers. Returns all underlying crash data and AI-generated commentary without HTML.
Authentication: None required. Public endpoint.
GET: https://thatcarhitme.com/api/crash-data/reports/data/alabama/fatal/statewide/2011-annual-report
Yearly Traffic Safety Analysis
811 CRASHES IN
ALABAMA
2011
In 2011, there were 811 fatal crashes, a 2.4% increase from the 792 fatal crashes recorded in 2010. Fatalities also rose by 3.8% from 862 to 895. The most significant year-over-year change was a 66.7% increase in fatal hit-and-run incidents, which rose from 15 in 2010 to 25 in 2011.
811
▲ 2.4%was 792
Total Crash Events
895
▲ 3.8%was 862
Persons Killed
654
▲ 7.6%was 608
Persons Injured
25
▲ 66.7%was 15
Hit-and-Run Crashes
Note: "Persons Killed" (895) counts individual fatalities across all crash events. "Fatal" in the severity table below (811) counts crash events where at least one fatality occurred. A single crash can result in multiple fatalities.
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Aggregate counts from crash, person, and vehicle records
Trend Summary
The overall trend for fatal crashes shows an increase year-over-year. Fatal crashes rose by 2.4%, from 792 in 2010 to 811 in 2011. Correspondingly, the number of fatalities increased by 3.8% from 862 to 895, and the number of people injured in these crashes grew by 7.6% from 608 to 654.
25
Hit-and-Run Crashes — 2011
▲ 66.7% vs prior (15)
The number of fatal hit-and-run crashes increased by 66.7% year-over-year, rising from 15 incidents in 2010 to 25 in 2011. The rate of fatal crashes involving a hit-and-run also increased, from 1.9% in the prior period to 3.1% in the current period. This indicates a significant upward trend in this specific type of fatal incident.
Vulnerable Road User Casualties
79
Pedestrians Killed
5
Cyclists Killed
809
Motorists Killed
2
Other Killed
5
Pedestrians Injured
0
Cyclists Injured
649
Motorists Injured
0
Other Injured
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Mode classified from person records (driver/passenger → motorist; pedestrian; bicyclist → cyclist; in-line skater / unspecified → other)
When Crashes Happen
The temporal patterns of fatal crashes showed some minor shifts between the two periods. Saturday remained the peak day for fatal crashes, with incidents on that day increasing from 148 in 2010 to 179 in 2011. The peak hour for fatal crashes shifted slightly earlier, from 6 p.m. in 2010 (50 crashes) to 5 p.m. in 2011 (58 crashes).
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Crash date field aggregated by weekday
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Crash time field aggregated by hour (0-23)
Road & Environmental Conditions
Lighting conditions during fatal crashes were largely stable, with daylight being the most common setting in both 2011 (404 crashes) and 2010 (401 crashes). There was a notable shift in reported weather conditions, as fatal crashes in clear weather decreased from 693 to 608. In contrast, fatal crashes reported in cloudy conditions increased significantly, from 2 in 2010 to 127 in 2011.
Weather
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Weather condition at time of crash
Lighting
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Lighting condition field
Vehicles & Demographics
Chevrolet and Ford swapped the top two positions for makes of vehicles involved in fatal crashes. In 2011, Chevrolet was the most common make with 206 vehicles, up from 185 in the prior year. Ford, which was the top make in 2010 with 209 vehicles, dropped to second place in 2011 with 188 vehicles. Toyota remained the third most common make, with its involvement increasing from 82 to 98 vehicles.
Top Vehicle Makes (1,219 vehicles)
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Vehicle unit records
103 persons with unknown or unrecorded age excluded from age chart.
Sex Distribution (1,983 persons with recorded sex)
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Person-level records linked to crash events
Speed Limit Zones
The distribution of fatal crashes across speed zones remained relatively consistent year-over-year. The 55 mph speed zone accounted for the highest number of fatal crashes in both periods, with 223 incidents in 2011 compared to 226 in 2010. A notable increase was observed in 35 mph zones, where fatal crashes rose from 72 in 2010 to 96 in 2011.
Fatal crashes by zone: 15 mph: 1 of 1 (100%) · 25 mph: 22 of 22 (100%) · 30 mph: 29 of 29 (100%) · 35 mph: 96 of 96 (100%) · 40 mph: 41 of 41 (100%) · 45 mph: 209 of 209 (100%) · 50 mph: 32 of 32 (100%) · 55 mph: 223 of 223 (100%) · 60 mph: 24 of 24 (100%) · 65 mph: 65 of 65 (100%) · 70 mph: 64 of 64 (100%)
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Posted speed limit at crash location
Manner of Collision
Single-vehicle crashes, categorized as "Not a Collision with Motor Vehicle In-Transport," were the predominant manner of collision in both years, remaining stable with 492 incidents in 2011 versus 489 in 2010. This type accounted for 60.7% of all fatal crashes in 2011. Angle collisions were the second most common type and were also consistent, with 154 in 2011 and 153 in 2010.
Manner of Collision
"Other" combines 1 smaller categories (1 records): Rear-to-Side (1).
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Crash-level records
Vehicle Type
Four-door sedans were the most common vehicle body type involved in fatal crashes in both periods, with their count increasing from 348 in 2010 to 373 in 2011. The involvement of motorcycles in fatal crashes also rose from 84 to 93. In contrast, the number of large trucks (including truck-tractors and single-unit trucks) involved in fatal crashes decreased from 104 in 2010 to 92 in 2011.
Vehicle Type
Showing top 9 of 31 reported. 22 additional (133 total) not shown: 3-door/2-door hatchback, Large Van-Includes van-based buses (B150-B350, Sportsman, Royal Maxiwagon, Ram, Tradesman,...), Station Wagon (excluding van and truck based), Single-unit straight truck or Cab-Chassis (GVWR > 26,000 lbs.), Convertible(excludes sun-roof,t-bar), ATV/ATC [All-Terrain Cycle], 5-door/4-door hatchback, Single-unit straight truck or Cab-Chassis (19,500 lbs. < GVWR < or = 26,000 lbs.), Single-unit straight truck or Cab-Chassis (10,000 lbs. < GVWR < or = 19,500 lbs.), Utility station wagon (includes suburban limousines, Suburban, Travellall, Grand Wagoneer), School Bus, Unknown body type, Medium/heavy Pickup (>10,000 lbs. GVWR), Farm equipment other than trucks, Other vehicle type (includes go-cart, fork-lift, city street sweeper dunes/swamp buggy), Other van type (Hi-Cube Van, Kary), Moped (motorized bicycle), Off-road Motorcycle, Other motored cycle type (mini-bikes, motor scooters, pocket motorcycles, "pocket bikes"), Cab Chassis Based (includes Rescue Vehicle, Light Stake, Dump, and Tow Truck), Step van (>10,000 lbs. GVWR), Unknown light vehicle type (automobile,utility vehicle, van, or light truck).
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Vehicle unit records
Rural vs Urban
Fatal crashes in rural areas decreased from 480 in 2010 to 462 in 2011, while fatal crashes in urban areas increased from 304 to 347. Despite this shift, rural roads continued to be the location for the majority of fatal crashes, representing 57.1% of the total in 2011. This figure is consistent with the known elevated risk of fatal crashes on rural trafficways.
Rural vs Urban
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Crash-level records
Roadway Functional Class
A significant shift occurred in the distribution of fatal crashes by roadway functional class. In 2010, Local roads had the highest number of fatal crashes at 241, but this number fell to 107 in 2011. Conversely, Major Collector roads became the leading category in 2011 with 184 fatal crashes, a sharp increase from 108 in the previous year. Fatal crashes on Minor Arterials also increased from 139 to 156.
Roadway Functional Class
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Crash-level records
Person Type
Drivers were the most numerous person type recorded in fatal crashes in both periods, with their numbers increasing from 1,161 in 2010 to 1,211 in 2011. The number of passengers involved also rose from 645 to 699. Notably, the number of pedestrians involved in these fatal incidents saw a significant increase of 27.3%, rising from 66 in 2010 to 84 in 2011.
Person Type
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Crash-level records
Person Injury Severity
The number of fatalities resulting from these crashes increased by 3.8%, from 862 in 2010 to 895 in 2011. While the count of serious injuries (Type A) decreased slightly from 346 to 327, the number of minor injuries (Type B) grew from 184 to 253. In 2011, fatalities (K) accounted for 44.6% of all persons involved in these crashes, a slight decrease from the 45.8% share in 2010.
Person Injury Severity
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Crash-level records
Occupant Safety Equipment
The use of shoulder and lap belts by occupants involved in fatal crashes increased from 905 individuals in 2010 to 973 in 2011. Correspondingly, the number of occupants reported as using no safety equipment decreased from 628 to 574. Despite this improvement, individuals using no restraints still represented a significant portion of those involved in fatal incidents.
Occupant Safety Equipment
"Other" combines 5 smaller categories (38 records): Booster Seat (14), Child Restraint System - Rear Facing (13), Shoulder Belt Only Used (9), Restraint Used - Type Unknown (1), Child Restraint Type Unknown (1).
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Person-level records linked to crash events
Point of Impact
The front of the vehicle, or "12 Clock Point," was the most common point of impact in both years, with the number of vehicles struck here increasing from 607 in 2010 to 688 in 2011. This impact area accounted for the initial hit on 56.4% of vehicles involved in fatal crashes in 2011. "Non-Collision" events, such as rollovers, decreased from 85 incidents in 2010 to 74 in 2011.
Point of Impact
"Other" combines 11 smaller categories (161 records): 1 Clock Point (40), 8 Clock Point (26), 2 Clock Point (26), 4 Clock Point (19), 7 Clock Point (15), Undercarriage (15), 5 Clock Point (13), Top (3), Left (2), Right (1), Left-Front Side (1).
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Vehicle unit records
Vehicles Per Crash
Single-vehicle fatal crashes remained the most frequent incident type, accounting for 471 crashes in 2011 compared to 465 in 2010. These represented 58.1% of all fatal crashes in the current year. The number of two-vehicle fatal crashes was identical at 278 for both years, while three-vehicle fatal crashes increased from 41 to 50.
Vehicles Per Crash
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31 · Crash-level records
Data Sources & Methodology
Primary Data Source
All crash data in this report is sourced from NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes), accessed programmatically via the NHTSA FARS Open Data API (SODA). This dataset contains official police-reported motor vehicle traffic crash records maintained by the reporting jurisdiction's law enforcement agency. Records are published to the open data portal by the municipality and are subject to the portal's terms of use.
Data Retrieval
- Access method: NHTSA FARS Open Data API (SoQL queries)
- Data format: Structured JSON via REST API
- Record types queried: Crash events, person records, and vehicle unit records
- Date filter applied: 2011-01-01 through 2011-12-31
- Report generated: August 5, 2026
Data Coverage
- Reporting period: 2011-01-01 through 2011-12-31 (365 days)
- Geographic scope: Alabama
- Total crash records analyzed: 811
- Total persons involved: 2,007
- Total vehicles involved: 1,219
Analytical Methodology
- Severity classification: Uses the KABCO injury scale (K=Fatal, A=Incapacitating injury, B=Non-incapacitating injury, C=Possible injury, O=No injury/property damage only), the standard classification in U.S. Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC). Severity is assigned per crash event based on the most severe injury in that crash. A single fatal crash (K) may involve multiple fatalities; therefore the "Persons Killed" count in the headline KPIs may differ from the "Fatal" crash count in the severity breakdown.
- Contributing factors: Reflect the officer-determined primary contributory cause recorded at the time of the crash report. These are preliminary determinations and may not reflect final investigation findings.
- Hit-and-run classification: Based on the hit-and-run indicator field in the official crash report, as determined by the responding officer at the scene.
- Temporal analysis: Day-of-week and hour-of-day distributions are computed from the crash date/time timestamp in each record.
- Demographics: Age and sex distributions are drawn from person-level records linked to each crash event. A single crash may involve multiple persons.
- Vehicle data: Make information is drawn from vehicle unit records linked to each crash event.
- AI commentary: Narrative sections are generated by Google Gemini (large language model) based on the structured data. Commentary is descriptive, not predictive, and should not be interpreted as expert opinion.
Limitations & Disclaimers
- Only crashes reported to and documented by law enforcement are included. Minor incidents, unreported crashes, and near-misses are not captured in this dataset.
- Data reflects conditions at the time of the initial police report and may be subject to subsequent corrections, reclassifications, or supplements by the reporting agency.
- Open data portal records may experience a publication lag - recently occurring crashes may not yet appear in the dataset at the time of report generation.
- AI-generated commentary is produced by a large language model and is intended to highlight patterns in the data. It does not constitute legal, medical, or professional analysis.
- Percentages are calculated from reported data and are subject to rounding.
Non-Affiliation Disclosure
This report is produced independently by ThatCarHitMe.com (Injuria.ai). It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in partnership with any law enforcement agency, municipal government, state department of transportation, or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Data is sourced from publicly available government open data portals.
Data License
The underlying crash data is provided under the municipality's Open Data Terms of Use and is made available to the public for unrestricted use. This analysis and report is © 2026 Injuria.ai and may be cited with attribution using the suggested citation below.
Corrections & Feedback
If you believe any data in this report is inaccurate or have questions about our methodology, please contact: data@injuria.ai. We are committed to accuracy and will issue corrections promptly.
Suggested Citation
ThatCarHitMe.com (Injuria.ai). "Alabama Crash Intelligence Report: 2011." Published August 5, 2026. Reporting period: 2011-01-01 to 2011-12-31. Data source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes), NHTSA FARS Open Data. Available at: https://thatcarhitme.com/crash-data/alabama/fatal/statewide/2011-annual-report
About the Publisher
ThatCarHitMe.com is a crash data intelligence platform developed by Injuria.ai, a legal technology company specializing in traffic safety analytics. We aggregate and analyze publicly available government crash data to produce structured intelligence reports for communities, researchers, journalists, and legal professionals. Our reports combine programmatic data retrieval from official open data portals with AI-assisted narrative analysis.
Questions about this report's data or methodology: data@injuria.ai
ThatCarHitMe.com · An Injuria.ai Company
ThatCarHitMe.com
An Injuria.ai Company
Crash Data Intelligence
Data: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · NHTSA FARS
Period: 2011-01-01 – 2011-12-31
Generated: August 5, 2026 · All rights reserved
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