| Data years | 2020-2024[1][2][3][4][5] |
|---|---|
| Deaths, 2020-2024 | 128[1][2][3][4][5] |
| Fatal crashes, 2020-2024 | 115[1][2][3][4][5] |
| Share of metro Atlanta truck crash deaths | 28.6%[1][2][3][4][5] |
| Area | Atlanta MSA, 29 counties (CBSA 12060)[6] |
| 2024 data file | FARS Annual Report File[5] |
Across metro Atlanta, 128 people died in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period during 2020 through 2024, a count of everyone killed in those crashes, including people in other vehicles. Those deaths came from 115 fatal crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period, an event count kept separate from the 128 deaths. Crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period accounted for 28.6% of the 448 deaths in metro Atlanta truck crashes over 2020 through 2024.[1][2][3][4][5]
In 2024, the latest year shown, crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period in metro Atlanta killed 26 people in 21 fatal crashes. For truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period, a large truck follows NHTSA's Large Trucks: 2024 Data definition: a medium or heavy truck with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 lb, excluding buses and motor homes. In the figures for truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period, metro Atlanta is the 29-county Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metropolitan statistical area, CBSA 12060, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023.[6][5][7]
Contents
Deaths and fatal crashes by year
For 2020, crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period in metro Atlanta took 19 lives in 17 fatal crashes. The 2021 count for truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period in metro Atlanta was 21 deaths from 21 fatal crashes. For 2022, crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period in metro Atlanta took 36 lives in 32 fatal crashes.[1][2][3]
The 2023 count for truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period in metro Atlanta was 26 deaths from 24 fatal crashes. For 2024, crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period in metro Atlanta took 26 lives in 21 fatal crashes.[4][5]
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 19 | 17 |
| 2021 | 21 | 21 |
| 2022 | 36 | 32 |
| 2023 | 26 | 24 |
| 2024 | 26 | 21 |
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA MSA (CBSA 12060, 29 counties). Crashes involving a large truck (ACC_AUX A_LT = 1). 2024 is the FARS Annual Report File.
Who died
Of the deaths in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period in metro Atlanta, 14 were in the "People in the large truck" category, or 10.9% of those deaths. Of the deaths in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period in metro Atlanta, 86 were in the "People in other vehicles" category, or 67.2% of those deaths. In crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period in metro Atlanta, 28 deaths were in the "Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping)" category, 21.9% of the total for 2020 through 2024.[1][2][3][4][5]
For truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period, the FARS nonoccupant grouping is a technical person classification rather than a literal outside-vehicle test, because its other category can include occupants of motor vehicles not in transport, such as parked vehicles.[8][9]
How the crashes happened
The manner of collision recorded as "Angle" covers 26 deaths in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period, a share of 20.3%. The manner of collision recorded as "Rear-end" covers 38 deaths in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period, a share of 29.7%. The manner of collision recorded as "Head-on" covers 13 deaths in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period, a share of 10.2%.[1][2][3][4][5]
The manner of collision recorded as "Sideswipe" covers 11 deaths in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period, a share of 8.6%. The manner of collision recorded as "Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport" covers 39 deaths in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period, a share of 30.5%. The manner of collision recorded as "Other" covers 1 death in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period, a share of 0.8%.[1][2][3][4][5]
For truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period, a motor vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic, so the collision category is not a test of whether another vehicle was physically moving. By time of day, 38 deaths in crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period were recorded under "Daytime (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.)", 29.7% of the metro Atlanta total for this group. By time of day, 88 deaths in crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period were recorded under "Nighttime (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.)", 68.8% of the metro Atlanta total for this group.[1][2][3][4][5][8][9]
By time of day, 2 deaths in crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period were recorded under "Time of day unknown", 1.6% of the metro Atlanta total for this group. By land use, 116 deaths in crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period were recorded under "Urban", 90.6% of the metro Atlanta total for this group. By land use, 12 deaths in crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period were recorded under "Rural", 9.4% of the metro Atlanta total for this group.[1][2][3][4][5]
Where in the metro area
In Fulton County, 23 deaths in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period were recorded over 2020 through 2024, 18.0% of the metro Atlanta count for this group. In DeKalb County, 21 deaths in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period were recorded over 2020 through 2024, 16.4% of the metro Atlanta count for this group. In Gwinnett County, 13 deaths in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period were recorded over 2020 through 2024, 10.2% of the metro Atlanta count for this group.[1][2][3][4][5]
In Bartow County, 9 deaths in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period were recorded over 2020 through 2024, 7.0% of the metro Atlanta count for this group. In Cobb County, 9 deaths in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period were recorded over 2020 through 2024, 7.0% of the metro Atlanta count for this group. In Clayton County, 6 deaths in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period were recorded over 2020 through 2024, 4.7% of the metro Atlanta count for this group.[1][2][3][4][5]
In Douglas County, 6 deaths in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period were recorded over 2020 through 2024, 4.7% of the metro Atlanta count for this group. In Henry County, 6 deaths in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period were recorded over 2020 through 2024, 4.7% of the metro Atlanta count for this group.[1][2][3][4][5]
| County | Deaths, 2020-2024 | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fulton County | 23 | 18.0% |
| DeKalb County | 21 | 16.4% |
| Gwinnett County | 13 | 10.2% |
| Bartow County | 9 | 7.0% |
| Cobb County | 9 | 7.0% |
| Clayton County | 6 | 4.7% |
| Douglas County | 6 | 4.7% |
| Henry County | 6 | 4.7% |
Up to 8 counties with 2 or more deaths in this selection, ordered by death count descending and then by county FIPS code ascending. Counts use recorded crash location. Additional qualifying counties, including counties tied at the cutoff, can be omitted.
Interstate routes
Interstate route records cover 69 deaths in truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period, or 53.9%, under the route-coded interstate definition. On I-75 inside metro Atlanta, crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period accounted for 21 deaths over 2020 through 2024. On I-20 inside metro Atlanta, crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period accounted for 20 deaths over 2020 through 2024.[1][2][3][4][5]
On I-285 inside metro Atlanta, crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period accounted for 17 deaths over 2020 through 2024. On I-85 inside metro Atlanta, crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period accounted for 10 deaths over 2020 through 2024. The interstate figures for truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period use crashes with the route signing coded Interstate and an I-route number in the trafficway identifier, so they describe recorded route signing rather than a highway's full extent.[1][2][3][4][5][9]
Routes with 2 or more deaths in this selection. Route-coded definition: ROUTE coded Interstate and an I-route number in TWAY_ID.
The trucks involved
The vehicles in crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period included 122 large trucks, and 75 of those were truck-tractors, counts of vehicles rather than deaths. For truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period, a truck-tractor is NCSA body type 66 in the FARS vehicle file, a cab with or without trailing units, and one crash can involve more than one large truck.[1][2][3][4][5][9]
About these figures
Truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period are selected by the day-of-week period coded in NHTSA's auxiliary crash file, where the weekday period runs from Monday 6 a.m. to Friday 5:59 p.m. and the weekend period from Friday 6 p.m. to Monday 5:59 a.m., excluding the unknown-period category. The figures for crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period come from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, which covers crashes involving a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public, with a death within 30 days of the crash. The counts for crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period are grouped by the recorded location of the crash, not by where the people killed lived.[8][9][7][10]
The 2024 data for crashes involving a large truck in the NHTSA weekend period are the FARS Annual Report File, which is subject to change, and NHTSA calls the later version the Final File. No traffic volume or mileage is divided into the truck crashes in the NHTSA weekend period counts, so they record deaths and crashes and make no statement about how likely a crash was.[9][10]
See also
References
- abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2020 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2021 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2022 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2023 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwx "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024 national data files (Annual Report File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- ab "Core based statistical areas delineation file, List 1 (OMB Bulletin 23-01, July 2023)". U.S. Census Bureau. Official source. Checked . Source record
- ab "Large trucks: 2024 data (DOT HS 813 816, June 2026)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abc "FARS Auxiliary Datasets Analytical User's Manual, 1982-2019 (DOT HS 813 071)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdef "Fatality Analysis Reporting System Analytical User's Manual, 1975-2024 (DOT HS 813 794)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- ab "Overview of motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2024 (DOT HS 813 791, April 2026)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record