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 · 2013
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/2013-annual-report
Yearly Traffic Safety Analysis
767 CRASHES IN
ALABAMA
2013
In 2013, Alabama recorded 767 fatal crashes, a 5.2% decrease from the 809 fatal crashes recorded in 2012. This overall decline was reflected across several categories, with one of the most significant shifts being a 30.4% reduction in fatal hit-and-run incidents, which fell from 23 to 16 year-over-year. The total number of fatalities also decreased from 865 to 853.
767
▼ -5.2%was 809
Total Crash Events
853
▼ -1.4%was 865
Persons Killed
542
▼ -13.8%was 629
Persons Injured
16
▼ -30.4%was 23
Hit-and-Run Crashes
Note: "Persons Killed" (853) counts individual fatalities across all crash events. "Fatal" in the severity table below (767) 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 · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Aggregate counts from crash, person, and vehicle records
Trend Summary
Fatal traffic incidents in Alabama showed a downward trend from 2012 to 2013. The state recorded a 5.2% decrease in fatal crashes, from 809 to 767. Correspondingly, the number of fatalities fell from 865 to 853, and the number of individuals injured in these incidents dropped by 13.8% from 629 to 542.
16
Hit-and-Run Crashes — 2013
▼ -30.4% vs prior (23)
Fatal hit-and-run crashes decreased in both absolute numbers and as a proportion of all fatal crashes. The state recorded 16 fatal hit-and-run incidents in 2013, down from 23 in 2012, representing a 30.4% reduction. The corresponding rate also fell, from 2.8% of fatal crashes in 2012 to 2.1% in 2013.
Vulnerable Road User Casualties
59
Pedestrians Killed
6
Cyclists Killed
788
Motorists Killed
6
Pedestrians Injured
0
Cyclists Injured
536
Motorists Injured
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · 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 remained largely consistent between 2012 and 2013. Saturday was the deadliest day of the week in both years, accounting for 141 fatal crashes in 2013 and 172 in 2012. Similarly, the 5 p.m. hour was the peak time for these incidents in both periods, with 46 crashes in 2013 and 50 in the prior year, indicating no significant shift in the daily or weekly timing of fatal collisions.
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Crash date field aggregated by weekday
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Crash time field aggregated by hour (0-23)
Road & Environmental Conditions
Lighting conditions for fatal crashes were similar year-over-year, with daylight being the most common condition, accounting for 377 incidents in 2013 and 395 in 2012. Crashes in dark, unlighted conditions decreased from 260 to 221. Regarding weather, clear conditions were prevalent in both periods, though the number of fatal crashes during rain increased slightly from 77 in 2012 to 90 in 2013.
Weather
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Weather condition at time of crash
Lighting
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Lighting condition field
Vehicles & Demographics
The top vehicle makes involved in fatal crashes shifted slightly, with Ford (192 vehicles) surpassing Chevrolet (177 vehicles) in 2013, reversing the order from 2012 when Chevrolet led with 198 vehicles to Ford's 183. Regarding the age of individuals involved, there was a notable decrease in the 16-20 age group, which fell from 251 people in 2012 to 167 in 2013. The 26-34 age group remained the most represented in both years, though their count also decreased from 306 to 277.
Top Vehicle Makes (1,117 vehicles)
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Vehicle unit records
50 persons with unknown or unrecorded age excluded from age chart.
Sex Distribution (1,734 persons with recorded sex)
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Person-level records linked to crash events
Speed Limit Zones
The distribution of fatal crashes across speed zones remained relatively stable between the two years. The 55 mph speed zone was the site of the most fatal crashes in both 2013 (229 incidents) and 2012 (217 incidents). Crashes in 45 mph zones also remained high, with 194 in 2013 compared to 203 in 2012. A notable decrease occurred in 35 mph zones, where fatal crashes dropped from 97 in 2012 to 66 in 2013.
Fatal crashes by zone: 15 mph: 1 of 1 (100%) · 20 mph: 3 of 3 (100%) · 25 mph: 20 of 20 (100%) · 30 mph: 20 of 20 (100%) · 35 mph: 66 of 66 (100%) · 40 mph: 56 of 56 (100%) · 45 mph: 194 of 194 (100%) · 50 mph: 44 of 44 (100%) · 55 mph: 229 of 229 (100%) · 60 mph: 18 of 18 (100%) · 65 mph: 55 of 55 (100%) · 70 mph: 57 of 57 (100%)
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Posted speed limit at crash location
Manner of Collision
The most common type of fatal crash in both periods involved a single vehicle, categorized as 'Not a Collision with Motor Vehicle In-Transport'. This type accounted for 493 fatal crashes (64.3%) in 2013, a nearly identical count to the 495 incidents (61.2%) in 2012. Angle collisions were the second most frequent type, with 137 in 2013 and 138 in 2012, while fatal head-on ('Front-to-Front') collisions decreased from 98 to 88.
Manner of Collision
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Crash-level records
Vehicle Type
Passenger cars, specifically 4-door sedans, were the most common vehicle type in fatal crashes for both years, though their involvement decreased from 385 vehicles in 2012 to 353 in 2013. Standard pickups were the second most common type, also seeing a decrease from 168 to 142 vehicles. The number of motorcycles involved in fatal crashes fell from 95 to 85, while large trucks (truck-tractors) saw a slight increase from 77 to 80.
Vehicle Type
Showing top 9 of 28 reported. 19 additional (112 total) not shown: 3-door/2-door hatchback, Station Wagon (excluding van and truck based), Single-unit straight truck or Cab-Chassis (GVWR > 26,000 lbs.), Convertible(excludes sun-roof,t-bar), 5-door/4-door hatchback, Single-unit straight truck or Cab-Chassis (10,000 lbs. < GVWR < or = 19,500 lbs.), ATV/ATC [All-Terrain Cycle], Unknown body type, Single-unit straight truck or Cab-Chassis (19,500 lbs. < GVWR < or = 26,000 lbs.), Large Van-Includes van-based buses (B150-B350, Sportsman, Royal Maxiwagon, Ram, Tradesman,...), Other vehicle type (includes go-cart, fork-lift, city street sweeper dunes/swamp buggy), School Bus, Farm equipment other than trucks, Van-Based Bus GVWR > 10,000 lbs., Cab Chassis Based (includes Rescue Vehicle, Light Stake, Dump, and Tow Truck), Cross Country/Intercity Bus, Medium/heavy Pickup (>10,000 lbs. GVWR), Utility station wagon (includes suburban limousines, Suburban, Travellall, Grand Wagoneer), 3-door coupe.
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Vehicle unit records
Rural vs Urban
Fatal crashes occurred more frequently on rural roads than urban ones in both periods, and this disparity widened in 2013. The number of fatal crashes on rural roads increased from 473 in 2012 to 502 in 2013, while urban fatal crashes fell sharply from 333 to 260. Consequently, the proportion of fatal crashes on rural roads—which often have higher speeds and longer emergency response times—grew from 58.7% in 2012 to 65.9% in 2013.
Rural vs Urban
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Crash-level records
Roadway Functional Class
Arterial and collector roads accounted for the majority of fatal crashes in both years. In 2013, 'Principal Arterial - Other' roads saw the most incidents with 194, a significant increase from 135 in 2012. Conversely, fatal crashes on 'Minor Arterial' roads decreased from 201 to 185. Fatal crashes on Interstates remained relatively stable, with 90 incidents in 2013 compared to 85 in the previous year.
Roadway Functional Class
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Crash-level records
Person Type
Drivers constituted the largest group of individuals involved in fatal crashes, with 1,114 in 2013, a decrease from 1,214 in 2012. The number of passengers involved also saw a slight reduction, from 595 to 560. Notably, the number of pedestrians involved in these fatal incidents fell from 87 to 66, and the number of bicyclists involved decreased from 9 to 6.
Person Type
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Crash-level records
Person Injury Severity
The total number of individuals involved in fatal crashes decreased from 1,915 in 2012 to 1,755 in 2013. The number of fatalities (K) saw a slight decline from 865 to 853, while the count of persons with serious injuries (A) fell from 317 to 280. Although the absolute number of fatalities decreased, they represented a slightly larger share of all persons involved, rising from 45.2% in 2012 to 48.6% in 2013, as the total number of crash occupants and non-occupants declined.
Person Injury Severity
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Crash-level records
Occupant Safety Equipment
Among vehicle occupants for whom safety equipment use was documented, lack of use was a significant factor in both years. In 2013, 519 individuals were recorded as using no safety equipment, compared to 559 in 2012. This group represented 37.1% of occupants with known restraint status in 2013, nearly unchanged from the 37.3% share in 2012. The number of occupants using both a shoulder and lap belt decreased from 939 to 880.
Occupant Safety Equipment
"Other" combines 7 smaller categories (27 records): Child Restraint Type Unknown (10), Booster Seat (8), Child Restraint System - Rear Facing (4), Helmet, Unknown if DOT Compliant (2), Other (1), Shoulder Belt Only Used (1), Not a Motor Vehicle Occupant (1).
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Person-level records linked to crash events
Point of Impact
Frontal impacts ('12 Clock Point') were the most common point of impact in fatal crashes, though the count decreased from 731 in 2012 to 621 in 2013. This represented a drop in the share of all impacts from approximately 65% to 62%. Rear impacts ('6 Clock Point') also saw a reduction, falling from 83 to 57. 'Non-Collision' events, such as rollovers, increased from 72 to 81.
Point of Impact
"Other" combines 8 smaller categories (142 records): 10 Clock Point (31), 2 Clock Point (30), 4 Clock Point (20), 8 Clock Point (19), Undercarriage (16), 7 Clock Point (16), 5 Clock Point (7), Other Objects Set-In-Motion (3).
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Vehicle unit records
Vehicles Per Crash
Single-vehicle incidents were the most prevalent type of fatal crash, with a nearly identical count of 456 in 2013 and 458 in 2012. However, because the total number of fatal crashes declined, single-vehicle events constituted a larger share of the total, rising from 56.6% in 2012 to 59.5% in 2013. Fatal crashes involving two vehicles saw a notable decrease, from 295 in 2012 to 268 in 2013.
Vehicles Per Crash
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · 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: 2013-01-01 through 2013-12-31
- Report generated: August 5, 2026
Data Coverage
- Reporting period: 2013-01-01 through 2013-12-31 (365 days)
- Geographic scope: Alabama
- Total crash records analyzed: 767
- Total persons involved: 1,755
- Total vehicles involved: 1,117
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: 2013." Published August 5, 2026. Reporting period: 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31. Data source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes), NHTSA FARS Open Data. Available at: https://thatcarhitme.com/crash-data/alabama/fatal/statewide/2013-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: 2013-01-01 – 2013-12-31
Generated: August 5, 2026 · All rights reserved
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