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 · 2020
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/2020-annual-report
Yearly Traffic Safety Analysis
852 CRASHES IN
ALABAMA
2020
In 2020, Alabama recorded 852 fatal crashes, a slight decrease from the 856 fatal crashes in 2019, representing a 0.5% reduction. While the number of fatal incidents remained stable, the total number of fatalities increased slightly from 930 to 934. The most significant year-over-year shift was a 25% increase in speeding-related fatal crashes, which rose from 193 in 2019 to 241 in 2020.
852
▼ -0.5%was 856
Total Crash Events
934
▲ 0.4%was 930
Persons Killed
608
▲ 13.0%was 538
Persons Injured
31
▲ 3.3%was 30
Hit-and-Run Crashes
Note: "Persons Killed" (934) counts individual fatalities across all crash events. "Fatal" in the severity table below (852) 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 · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Aggregate counts from crash, person, and vehicle records
Trend Summary
The overall number of fatal crashes in Alabama remained nearly stable, decreasing by just four incidents from 856 in 2019 to 852 in 2020. However, the number of people killed in these crashes rose slightly from 930 to 934. The total number of non-fatal injuries reported in these incidents saw a more significant increase of 13%, from 538 in 2019 to 608 in 2020.
31
Hit-and-Run Crashes — 2020
▲ 3.3% vs prior (30)
The number of fatal hit-and-run crashes remained nearly constant, with 31 incidents in 2020 compared to 30 in 2019. The corresponding rate of fatal hit-and-runs as a percentage of all fatal crashes was also stable, ticking up slightly from 3.5% to 3.6%. This indicates no significant year-over-year change in this trend.
Vulnerable Road User Casualties
101
Pedestrians Killed
10
Cyclists Killed
823
Motorists Killed
7
Pedestrians Injured
0
Cyclists Injured
601
Motorists Injured
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · 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 were largely consistent year-over-year. Saturday remained the deadliest day of the week in both 2019 (151 fatal crashes) and 2020 (158 fatal crashes). The peak hour for fatal crashes shifted slightly, from 4 p.m. in 2019 (54 fatal crashes) to 5 p.m. in 2020 (59 fatal crashes).
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Crash date field aggregated by weekday
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Crash time field aggregated by hour (0-23)
Road & Environmental Conditions
Most fatal crashes in both periods occurred in clear weather and during daylight hours. Fatal crashes in clear conditions decreased from 609 in 2019 to 558 in 2020, while those in cloudy conditions increased from 151 to 185. Regarding lighting, fatal crashes during daylight rose from 408 to 422, whereas fatal crashes in dark, unlit conditions fell from 264 to 252.
Weather
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Weather condition at time of crash
Lighting
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Lighting condition field
Vehicles & Demographics
The 26-34 age group represented the largest number of people involved in fatal crashes in both years, increasing from 314 individuals in 2019 to 341 in 2020. The most common vehicle makes involved were Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota in both periods. In 2020, Fords were most frequent with 200 vehicles, followed by Chevrolets with 178, reversing the order from 2019 when Chevrolet led with 223 vehicles to Ford's 190.
Top Vehicle Makes (1,306 vehicles)
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Vehicle unit records
79 persons with unknown or unrecorded age excluded from age chart.
Sex Distribution (2,049 persons with recorded sex)
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Person-level records linked to crash events
Speed Limit Zones
In both years, the highest number of fatal crashes occurred in 55 mph and 45 mph speed zones. Fatal crashes in 55 mph zones decreased from 247 in 2019 to 233 in 2020, while those in 45 mph zones were stable at 217 and 219, respectively. There was a notable increase in fatal crashes in 60 mph zones, which rose from 14 in 2019 to 23 in 2020.
Fatal crashes by zone: 20 mph: 1 of 1 (100%) · 25 mph: 19 of 19 (100%) · 30 mph: 22 of 22 (100%) · 35 mph: 69 of 69 (100%) · 40 mph: 46 of 46 (100%) · 45 mph: 219 of 219 (100%) · 50 mph: 35 of 35 (100%) · 55 mph: 233 of 233 (100%) · 60 mph: 23 of 23 (100%) · 65 mph: 74 of 74 (100%) · 70 mph: 86 of 86 (100%)
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Posted speed limit at crash location
Manner of Collision
In both periods, the most frequent manner of fatal collision was classified as 'The First Harmful Event was Not a Collision with a Motor Vehicle in Transport,' which often indicates a single-vehicle crash. This category accounted for 501 fatal crashes (58.8%) in 2020, a slight decrease from 513 (59.9%) in 2019. Angle collisions were the second most common type, increasing from 146 to 151, while front-to-front collisions decreased from 119 to 111.
Manner of Collision
"Other" combines 2 smaller categories (2 records): Other (1), Reported as Unknown (1).
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Crash-level records
Vehicle Type
Passenger cars, specifically 4-door sedans, were the most common vehicle type involved in fatal crashes in both periods, though their numbers decreased from 412 in 2019 to 377 in 2020. Light pickups were the second-most common vehicle type, with involvement increasing from 266 to 275. Fatal crashes involving motorcycles (two-wheel) decreased from 90 to 73, while those involving truck-tractors increased from 77 to 86.
Vehicle Type
Showing top 9 of 28 reported. 19 additional (146 total) not shown: Single-unit straight truck or Cab-Chassis (GVWR greater than 26,000 lbs.), 5-door/4-door hatchback, Convertible(excludes sun-roof,t-bar), 3-door/2-door hatchback, Single-unit straight truck or Cab-Chassis (GVWR range 10,001 to 19,500 lbs.), Medium/heavy Pickup (GVWR greater than 10,000 lbs.), Unknown body type, Utility station wagon (includes suburban limousines, Suburban, Travellall, Grand Wagoneer), Large Van-Includes van-based buses (B150-B350, Sportsman, Royal Maxiwagon, Ram, Tradesman,...), ATV/ATC [All-Terrain Cycle], School Bus, Single-unit straight truck or Cab-Chassis (GVWR range 19,501 to 26,000 lbs.), Unknown light vehicle type (automobile,utility vehicle, van, or light truck), Motor Scooter, Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle, Unknown motored cycle type, Farm equipment other than trucks, Medium/Heavy Vehicle Based Motor Home, Three-wheel Motorcycle (2 Rear Wheels).
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Vehicle unit records
Rural vs Urban
A majority of fatal crashes occurred on rural roads in both years, though the gap narrowed in 2020. Fatal crashes in rural areas decreased from 484 in 2019 to 459 in 2020. Conversely, fatal crashes in urban settings increased from 372 to 392 over the same period, shifting the split slightly from rural to urban.
Rural vs Urban
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Crash-level records
Roadway Functional Class
Arterial roadways consistently saw the highest number of fatal crashes. In 2020, Principal Arterials accounted for 233 fatal crashes (down from 262 in 2019), while Minor Arterials saw an increase from 176 to 201 fatal crashes. Notably, fatal crashes on Major Collector roads increased significantly from 156 in 2019 to 207 in 2020. Fatal crashes on Interstates rose slightly from 109 to 114.
Roadway Functional Class
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Crash-level records
Roadway Ownership
Roadways under the jurisdiction of the State Highway Agency were the site of the most fatal crashes in both years, increasing from 509 incidents in 2019 to 521 in 2020. Fatal crashes on County Highway Agency roads decreased from 236 to 207. City or Municipal Highway Agency roads saw an increase in fatal crashes from 110 in 2019 to 122 in 2020.
Roadway Ownership
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Crash-level records
Person Type
Drivers constituted the largest group of individuals involved in fatal crashes in both years, with counts holding steady at 1,297 in 2020 versus 1,298 in 2019. The number of passengers involved increased substantially, from 492 in 2019 to 647 in 2020. In contrast, the number of pedestrians involved in these fatal incidents decreased from 127 to 108.
Person Type
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Crash-level records
Person Injury Severity
The total number of fatalities (K) resulting from these crashes was nearly unchanged, with 934 deaths in 2020 compared to 930 in 2019. However, the number of individuals who sustained serious (A) injuries increased by 41%, from 208 in 2019 to 294 in 2020. The count of uninjured (O) individuals also rose from 462 to 530, reflecting more people being involved in each fatal incident on average.
Person Injury Severity
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Crash-level records
Occupant Safety Equipment
The number of occupants reported as using a shoulder and lap belt during a fatal crash increased slightly from 987 in 2019 to 1,001 in 2020. More significantly, the number of individuals recorded under 'None Used/Not Applicable' rose from 628 to 730. This category includes both unbelted vehicle occupants and non-motorists like pedestrians, for whom restraints are not applicable.
Occupant Safety Equipment
"Other" combines 2 smaller categories (8 records): Lap Belt Only Used (6), Child Restraint Type Unknown (2).
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Person-level records linked to crash events
Point of Impact
Frontal impacts (12 Clock Point) were the dominant point of impact in fatal crashes for both years, remaining stable with 812 incidents in 2020 compared to 805 in 2019. Fatal crashes involving a rear impact (6 Clock Point) increased from 70 to 87 year-over-year. Incidents involving a left-side impact (9 Clock Point) also rose from 55 to 69.
Point of Impact
"Other" combines 12 smaller categories (128 records): 10 Clock Point (38), 2 Clock Point (22), 4 Clock Point (15), 7 Clock Point (13), Top (10), 8 Clock Point (8), 5 Clock Point (7), Reported as Unknown (6), Undercarriage (5), Right (2), Left (1), Cargo/Vehicle Parts Set-In-Motion (1).
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · Vehicle unit records
Vehicles Per Crash
Single-vehicle incidents were the most common type of fatal crash in both periods, with counts remaining stable at 463 in 2020 versus 458 in 2019. Two-vehicle fatal crashes also held steady, increasing slightly from 321 to 326. In contrast, fatal crashes involving three vehicles saw a notable decrease, falling from 65 incidents in 2019 to 49 in 2020.
Vehicles Per Crash
Source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes) · Federal fatal-crash census · 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31 · 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: 2020-01-01 through 2020-12-31
- Report generated: August 5, 2026
Data Coverage
- Reporting period: 2020-01-01 through 2020-12-31 (366 days)
- Geographic scope: Alabama
- Total crash records analyzed: 852
- Total persons involved: 2,072
- Total vehicles involved: 1,306
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: 2020." Published August 5, 2026. Reporting period: 2020-01-01 to 2020-12-31. Data source: NHTSA FARS (Fatal Crashes), NHTSA FARS Open Data. Available at: https://thatcarhitme.com/crash-data/alabama/fatal/statewide/2020-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: 2020-01-01 – 2020-12-31
Generated: August 5, 2026 · All rights reserved
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