Overview of motor vehicle crashes in 2022

Georgia Traffic Safety Facts
2022 Data

October 2024
In this fact sheet, information is presented as follows.
Fatality & Injury Rates Police-Reported Crashes Urban vs. Rural Traffic Safety Highlights
by Emphasis Area Georgia Traffic Safety
Performance Measures
Other topic-specific, Georgia Traffic Safety Facts available for 2022 are: Pedestrians & Bicyclists
(Non-Motorists) Distracted Driving Motorcycles Occupant Protection Older Drivers Young Drivers Risky Driving Examining Alcohol-
Impaired Drivers Involved in Motor Vehicle Crashes
This fact sheet contains information from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) crash data modified by the Crash Outcomes Data Evaluation System (CODES) at the Department of Public Health (DPH).
Governor's Office of Highway Safety
7 MLK. Jr Dr SE Suite #643 Atlanta, GA 30334 (404) 656-6996 www.gahighwaysafety.org

Overview of Motor Vehicle Crashes in 2022
This fact sheet provides an overview of traffic fatalities, serious injuries, and crashes on Georgia roadways, in addition to topic-specific emphasis areas and a summary table of Georgia Traffic Safety Performance Measures.
2022 Key Findings
Traffic Fatalities
In Georgia, there were 1,797 motor vehicle traffic fatalities in 2022, resulting in
1.39 traffic fatalities for every 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Although Georgia ranks fourth in the number of fatalities in the nation, it ranks 21st in fatalities per 100M VMT.
Georgia traffic fatalities decreased by 1% from 1,809 in 2021 to 1,797 in 2022.
All Regions (Atlanta, Other Urban, and Rural) experienced an increase in the number of motorcyclist fatalities, pedestrian fatalities, bicyclist fatalities, alcohol-related fatalities, speeding-related fatalities, and fatalities involving large trucks.
Rural regions also experienced an increase in the number of passenger vehicle occupant fatalities, unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant fatalities, and older drivers aged 65+ years involved in fatal crashes.
Fatally injured young drivers aged 15-20 years decreased by 16% (from 94 fatalities to 79 fatalities) in Georgia.
Serious Traffic Injuries & Cost
Between 2018 and 2022, the number of suspected serious crash injuries
reported by law enforcement responding to a motor vehicle traffic incident increased by 36%, from 6,401 in 2018 to 8,660 in 2022. Car passenger vehicle and light truck passenger vehicle occupants (pickup trucks, vans, and sports utility vehicles) continue to have the highest proportion of serious injuries in traffic crashes.
Approximately 3% of all 911 calls were related to motor vehicle traffic incidents
(motor vehicle occupants, motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists) where emergency medical services (EMS) transported persons to a hospital (55,884 EMS transports). According to the Georgia Trauma Registry data, motor vehicle traffic-related incidents accounted for 29% of all injuries treated by designated and non-designated trauma centers across the state of Georgia. In 2022, the total motor vehicle traffic-related hospitalization and emergency room charges in Georgia was $2.2 billion for 8,603 motor vehicle traffic-related hospitalizations and 91,645 motor vehicle traffic-related emergency room visits.

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Fatalities and Injury Rates Traffic-related fatalities in Georgia decreased by less than 1% from 1,809 roadway fatalities in 2021 to 1,797 fatalities in 2022. The rate of traffic fatalities for every 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) decreased from 1.50 in 2021 to 1.39 in 2022. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Highway Policy Information Traffic Volume Trends, vehicle miles traveled in Georgia increased by 7% between 2021 and 2022; however, the overall VMT in 2021 is still lower than pre-pandemic norms.

Figure 1: Fatalities and Fatality Rate per 100M VMT,

2013-2022

2, 500
2, 000
1.08
1, 500
1,180 1,000

Fatalities
1.21 1.04
1,432 1,164

Fatality Rate per 100M VMT
1.43 1.50 1.27 1.23 1.14 1.12
1,809 1,556 1,540 1,505 1,492 1,658

1.6
1.39 1.4
1.2
1,797 1
0.8
0.6

0.4 50 0
0.2

-

0

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Source: FARS 20132022

In 2022, the state of Georgia ranked as the fourth-highest number of traffic fatalities and 21st by fatality rate (traffic fatalities per 100M VMT) in the nation. Between 2021 and 2022, the number of national traffic fatalities decreased by 2%, and the national fatality rate per 100M VMT decreased by 4%. During this time, Georgia experienced a 1% decrease in traffic fatalities and a 7% decrease in the fatality rate per 100M VMT.
Across the five states within the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Region IV (Southeastern United States), Georgia ranks second for the highest traffic fatalities and fourth for the traffic fatality rate. The number of traffic fatalities within NHTSA Region IV decreased by 4% from 2021 to 2022, and the fatality rate per 100M VMT decreased by 7%.

Table 1: Traffic Fatalities, Fatality Rate per 100M VMT by Region and Year (2018, 2021, and 2022)

Traffic Fatalities

Fatality Rate per 100M VMT

Region National

2018 36,835

2021 43,230

2022 42,514

Percentage Change

5-Year

1-Year

Comparison Comparison

(2018-2022) (2021-2022)

15%

-2%

2018 1.14

2021 1.38

2022 1.33

Percentage Change

5-Year

1-Year

Comparison Comparison

(2018-2022) (2021-2022)

17%

-4%

NHTSA Region IV AL, FL, GA, SC, TN

7,669

9,058

8,723

14%

-4% 1.36 1.65 1.53

13%

-7%

Georgia

1,508 1,809 1,797

19%

-1% 1.14 1.50 1.39

22%

-7%

Source: FARS 2018, 2021, and 2022

In Georgia, the traffic fatality rates (per 100M VMT, population, licensed drivers, and registered vehicles) decreased in 2022 compared to 2021 (Table 2).
Vehicle miles traveled increased by 7% (8.9 million more miles), resulting in a decreased fatality rate of 1.39 traffic fatalities per 100M VMT.
Population increased by 1% (+113,310 persons), resulting in 16.5 traffic fatalities per 100,000 persons. Licensed drivers increased by 5% (+364,473 drivers), resulting in 21.5 traffic fatalities per 100,000
licensed drivers. Registered vehicles increased by 1% (+106,760 vehicles), resulting in 17.2 traffic fatalities per 100,000
registered vehicles.

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Table 2: Traffic Fatality Rate per Vehicle Miles Traveled, Population, Licensed Drivers, and Registered Vehicles, 2013-2022

Year

Traffic Fatalities

2013 1,180

Vehicle Miles Traveled

Number (millions)

Fatality Rate per
100M

109,259

1.08

Population

Number
9,992,167

Fatality Rate per 100,000
11.8

Licensed Drivers

Number
7,099,538

Fatality Rate per 100,000
16.6

Registered Vehicles

Number
8,785,922

Fatality Rate per 100,000
13.4

2014 1,164

111,923

1.04 10,097,343 11.5 7,263,758 16.0

8,933,714 13.0

2015 1,432

118,107

1.21 10,214,860 14.0 7,337,619 19.5

9,136,983 15.7

2016 1,556

122,802

1.27 10,310,371 15.1 7,414,323 21.0

9,329,835 16.7

2017 1,540

124,733

1.23 10,429,379 14.8 7,512,197 20.5

9,578,056 16.1

2018 1,505

131,456

1.14 10,519,475 14.3 7,616,176 19.7

9,740,847 15.4

2019 1,492

133,128

1.12 10,617,423 14.0 7,761,810 19.2

10,453,617 14.3

2020 1,658

115,967

1.43 10,710,017 15.5 8,332,657 20.0

10,349,694 16.1

2021 1,809

120,600

1.50 10,799,566 16.8 8,007,598 22.6

10,352,085 17.5

2022 1,797

129,281

1.39 10,912,876 16.5 8,372,071 21.5

10,458,845 17.2

Note: The number of licensed drivers includes licensure from all classes (e.g., commercial and motorcycle). Licenses reported in 2011-2015 include suspended licenses and licenses reported in 2016-2022 are valid licenses. Source: FARS 2013-2022, OASIS 2013-2022, DDS 2013-2022, FY2014-FY2022 DOR Annual Reports (DOR 2019-2022).

Suspected Serious Crash Injuries
Between 2018 and 2022, the number of suspected serious crash2 injuries increased by 35%, from 6,401 in 2018 to 8,660 in 2022 (Table 3). In 2022, there were 6.70 serious traffic injuries per 100M VMT (a 38% increase from 2018) and 2,252 serious traffic injuries per 100,000 traffic crashes (a 42% increase from 2018).
Traffic-related serious injuries by person type are shown in Figure 2. Passenger vehicle occupants continue to have the highest proportion of serious injuries in traffic crashes. Passenger vehicles (cars and light trucks) represented nearly three quarters of all serious injuries in 2022. Vulnerable road users (non-motorists and motorcyclists) represented nearly one-fifth (19%) of all serious injuries, despite being involved in less than 3% of all motor vehicle traffic crashes.

Table 3: Suspected Serious Injuries and Rates, 2018-2022

Year

Suspected Serious Injuries

Suspected Serious Injury Rate

Per 100M VMT

Per 100,000 Crashes

2018

6,401

4.79

1,590.8

2019

7,308

5.53

1,808.9

2020

7,606

6.58

2,293.0

2021

8,937

7.41

2,306.7

2022

8,660

6.70

2,252.1

* DOT-523 Crash Report Manual Version 3.0 was revised in January 2018 with a more detailed definition of serious injury. Note: The number of suspected serious injuries may be different from the values reported by other data sources like GEARS, CODES, and Numetric. Source: FFY2024 GOHS Core Performance Measures

Figure 2: Serious Injuries by Person Type, 2022

Passenger Car Occupant Light-Truck Vehicle Occupant Motorcyclists Bicyclists & Pedestrians Other Large Truck Occupant

5% 2% 8%

11%

43%

31%

2 Suspected Serious Injuries are reported by law enforcement responding to a motor vehicle crash scene. Suspected serious injury is used when any injury, other than fatal injury, prevents the injured person from walking, driving, or normally continuing the activities the person was capable of before the injury occurred. See Data Considerations for more information on serious injuries.

Source: CODES 2022 Light trucks include pickup trucks, SUVs, and vans.

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Emergency Medical Services
According to the Georgia Emergency Medical Services Information System, motor vehicle traffic-related incidents accounted for 3% of all Emergency Medical Services (EMS) 911 calls in 2022. Three-quarters of all motor vehicle traffic-related EMS transports (49,416 out of 55,884 EMS transports) were reported with a motor-vehicle-related ICD-10 Code. Of the 49,416 motor vehicle traffic-related incidents reported as seen or transported by EMS in 2022, 88% were motor vehicle occupants, 5% were motorcyclists, 5% were nonmotorists, and 2% were other motor vehicle-related incidents. Compared to other age groups, persons in the 21-to-24 age group have the highest rate of motor vehicle traffic-related EMS transports 885.0 transports for every 100,000 population.

Emergency Room Visits & Hospitalizations
In 2022, there were a total of 91,645 motor vehicle traffic-related emergency room (ER) visits and 8,603 motor vehicle traffic-related hospitalizations.1 Motor vehicle occupants accounted for 70% of the ER visits and 49% of the hospitalizations related to motor vehicle traffic. Compared to other age groups, persons in the 21-to-24 age group have the highest rate of motor vehicle traffic-related ER visits and hospitalizations 1,551.5 ER visits and 113.8 hospitalizations for every 100,000 population. The total motor vehicle trafficrelated hospitalization and emergency room charges in Georgia was $2.2 billion.

Trauma Center Patients
According to the Georgia Trauma Registry data, motor vehicle traffic-related incidents accounted for 29% of all injuries treated by designated and non-designated Trauma Centers2 in 2022 across the state of Georgia. Of the 12,254 motor vehicle traffic-related trauma patients treated, 77% were motor vehicle occupants, 13% were motorcyclists, and 10% were non-motorists (pedestrians and bicyclists). Compared to other age groups, persons in the 21-to-24 age group have the highest rate of trauma 168.4 trauma patients for every 100,000 population. The rate of traffic-related trauma care for this age group decreased by 28% from the rate of 216.1 in 2021.

Table 4. Motorcyclists Traffic-Related Serious Injuries, Percent of Total Serious Injuries, and Rate per 100,000 Population by Age Group and by Injury Surveillance Source, 2022

Person Type

Police-Reported Suspected Serious
Crash Injuries

Emergency Medical Services

Trauma Center

Motor Vehicle Occupant Motorcyclists Pedestrians Bicyclists Other / Unspecified

Count 6,445 933 608 120 554

Percent 74% 11% 7% 1% 6%

Count 49,416
2,862 2,194
554 858

Percent 88% 5% 4% 1% 2%

Count 9,455 1,573 1,030
196 --

Percent 77% 13% 8% 2% --

All Person Types

8,660

100% 55,884 100% 12,254 100%

* Includes serious injuries with unknown age Source: CODES 2022, DPH-OHIP Hospital Inpatient Discharge and Emergency Room Visit Only Data 2022, GEMSIS 2022

Emergency Room

Hospitalizations

Count Percent 64,567 70%
3,382 4% 1,688 2%
351 0% 21,657 24%
91,645 100

Count 4,193 1,157 749 79 2,425
8,603

Percent 49% 13% 9% 1% 28%
100%

1 Hospitalization may include individuals who visited the emergency room. Emergency room visits only include individuals who were discharged directly from the emergency room. Hospitalizations and emergency room visits are for Georgia residents only, while fatalities can be a resident from another state. 2 Not all hospitals are designated as Trauma Centers.
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Police Reported Crashes
The number of police-reported motor vehicle crashes on public roads, injury crashes, and Property-DamageOnly (PDO) crashes fluctuated between 2018 and 2022, as shown in Table 5. As noted in the other publications3, the decrease in crashes and PDO crashes between 2019 and 2020 can be attributed to several factors, including the reduction in the number of drivers on Georgia roadways and fewer police officers reporting to crashes with no injuries. Between 2021 and 2022, there was a 1% decrease in total policereported crashes, less than a 1% decrease in fatal traffic crashes, a 4% decrease in serious injury crashes, and a 1% increase in PDO crashes.

Table 5: Police-Reported Crashes by Crash Severity, 2018-2022

Crash Severity

2018

2019

Year 2020

2021

2022

2018-2022 Change

Number

Percent

Total Crashes

402,227 403,897 331,710 387,444 384,527

- 2,917

-1%

Fatal Crashes

1,408

1,378

1,522

1,681

1,678

- 3

0.2%

Non-Fatal Crashes

400,819 402,519 330,188 385,760 382,823

- 2,911

-1%

Serious Injury Crashes

5,252

6,069

6,370

7,531

7,253

- 278

-4%

Property-DamageOnly Crashes**

295,190 289,184 234,142 278,916 281,892

2,976

1%

Source: FARS 2018-2022, Numetric 2018-2022 ** Property-Damage-Only crashes are crashes that do not occur on private property and do not result in any serious or fatal injuries to occupants or non-occupants.

Crash Types
Table 6 displays the number of traffic fatalities by crash type and the number of vehicles involved in fatal crashes for 2018 and 2022. The number of fatalities in multi-vehicle fatal crashes increased by 15%, from 660 fatalities in 2018 to 756 fatalities in 2022.
22% of all fatal crashes (365 out of 1,678) occurred at an intersection or within 50 feet of an intersection
perimeter (intersection-related). The number of total fatal crashes that occurred at an intersection or intersection-related increased by 17% from 312 in 2018 to 365 in 2022.
50% of all fatal crashes were a result of a vehicle departing the roadway by crossing an edge line or a
center line. Centerline crossing may result in a head-on collision when the vehicle enters the opposing lane of traffic. The number of multi-vehicle, roadway departure, fatal crashes decreased by 4% from 194 in 2018 to 187 in 2022.
14% of all fatal crashes involved large trucks (commercial and non-commercial trucks with a gross
vehicle weight rating of over 10,000 pounds). The number of multi-vehicle fatal crashes that involved large trucks increased by 22%, from 142 in 2018 to 173 in 2022.

Table 6: Traffic Fatalities by Crash Type, 2018 and 2022

Fatal Crash Types Fatal Crashes

2018
Total Fatal Single Crashes* Vehicle
1,408 815

Multi- Total Fatal Vehicle Crashes*
591 1,678

2022
Single Vehicle
1,000

MultiVehicle
678

2018-2022

Percentage Change

Total Fatal Crashes

Single Vehicle

Multi-Vehicle

19%

23%

15%

Intersection (or Intersection-Related)

312

85

227

365

99

266

17%

16%

17%

Roadway Departure

709 515

194

831

644

187

17%

25%

- 4%

Involving Large Trucks

177

35

142

237

64

173

Source: FARS 2018 and 2022. *Total fatal crashes include crashes with an unknown number of vehicles involved in fatal crashes.

34%

83%

22%

3 Georgia Crash Outcomes Data Evaluation System. (2022, February). Traffic Safety During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: 2020 preliminary data. (Georgia Traffic Safety Facts). Atlanta, GA: Governor's Office of Highway Safety.
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Fatal Crashes by Region: Urban vs. Rural
Figure 6 shows the number of traffic fatalities by region between 2013 and 2022. One-third of all Georgia fatal crashes occur in rural areas--though only 20% of the Georgia population lives in rural areas. The traffic fatalities that occurred in the eleven counties that make up the Atlanta region increased by 24%, from 501 in 2018 to 623 in 2022.
Table 7 shows the one-year comparison of selected traffic categories by region. In comparison to the previous year, the following categories increased in all 3 regions:
Motorcyclist fatalities Pedestrian fatalities Bicyclist fatalities Alcohol-related fatalities Speeding-related fatalities Fatalities involving Large Trucks
Rural Region also had increases in Passenger vehicle occupant fatalities (5% increase) Unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant fatalities
(5% increase) Older drivers aged 65+ years involved in fatal
crashes (20% increase)

Figure 6: Traffic Fatalities by Region, 2013-2022
Rural (118 counties) Other Urban Regions (30 counties) Atlanta Region (11 counties)
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Source: FARS 2013-2022 Note: The Atlanta Region includes the eleven counties that are defined by the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC): Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties. In July 2021, Forsyth County officially joined ARC, becoming the 11th county member. It was previous categorized as "Other Urban".
See the 2021 "Examining Crashes and Drivers in Rural Areas" and "Rural vs. Urban" Georgia Traffic Safety Facts for more information regarding traffic crashes in rural areas.

Table 7: One-Year Comparison of Georgia Regions

Category

2021

Atlanta Region

(11 counties)

2022

Change Number Percent

Other Urban Region

(30 counties)

2021

2022

Change Number Percent

Total Traffic Fatalities 600 623

23

4% 644 569 -75

-12%

Passenger Vehicle Occupant Fatalities

350 345

-5

-1% 438 322 -116

-26%

Unrestrained

Passenger Vehicle

163 159

-4

-2% 186 139 -47

-25%

Occupant Fatalities

Motorcyclist Fatalities 76 82

6

8%

75 86

11

15%

Pedestrian Fatalities 155 176

21

14% 102 102

--

--

Bicyclist Fatalities

3

5

2

67%

8 17

9

113%

Alcohol-Related Fatalities

133 206

73

55% 118 151

33

28%

Speeding Related Fatalities

100 139

39

39% 107 114

7

7%

Fatalities Involving Large Trucks

65 69

4

6%

77 91

14

18%

Young Drivers Aged 15

to-20 Years Involved in 72 66

-6

-8%

72 68

-4

-6%

Fatal Crashes

Older Drivers Aged

65+ Years Involved in 83 66

-17

-20% 133 91 -42

Fatal Crashes

-32%

Source: FARS 2021 and 2022

Rural Region

(118 counties)

2021

2022

Change Number Percent

565 605

40

7%

407 426

19

5%

210 221

11

5%

45 53

8

18%

50 67

17

34%

4

7

3

75%

131 153

22

17%

86 117

31

36%

104 105

1

1%

74 58 -16

-22%

125 150

25

20%

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Additional Georgia Traffic Safety Facts by Emphasis Area

Below are selected key findings from the 2022 Georgia Traffic Safety Facts (GTSF) by emphasis area. To access the full detailed report for each emphasis area, click the document icon ( ) next to the subsection title.

RISKY DRIVING Drivers involved in fatal crashes with a positive blood alcohol concentration (BAC) were 2.9 times more likely to be speeding and 2.7 times more likely to be unrestrained compared to other tested drivers with no alcohol in their system. For those drivers involved a fatal crash,1 out of 5 speeding drivers (20%) had a speeding conviction, and 6% of alcohol-impaired and/or drugged drivers had a DWI conviction (driving while intoxicated or impaired) previously recorded within five years.
EXAMINING ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED DRIVERS INVOLVED IN MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES
The analysis of DUI-related crashes from 2017 to 2021 revealed significant differences in conviction outcomes between first-time and repeat offenders.
Repeat offenders were more likely to receive alcohol-related convictions, especially in nonsevere and serious injury crashes; however, the conviction rate for alcohol-related offenses decreased as crash severity increased for both groups.
Half of all repeat offenders with at least one prior DUI-related conviction had a DUI crash event within 8.7 months of the last conviction or were involved in another DUI crash within 1.9 years of their last conviction.
For those issued DUI citations as the most serious charge after a crash, 54% were convicted of DUI, and 17% received a lesser charge, such as reckless driving.
NON-MOTORISTS Pedestrians
In 2022, two-thirds of pedestrian fatalities (67%) and nearly half (48%) of pedestrian injuries occurred on roadways with posted speed limits at or above 40 mph. The motor vehicle-related, pedestrian hospitalization and emergency room visit charges were $225 million for Georgia residents.
Bicyclists There was an average of 25 bicyclist fatalities in traffic crashes each year between 2018-2022. The motor vehicle-related, bicyclist hospitalization and emergency room visit charges were $75 million for Georgia residents.

DISTRACTED DRIVING 53% of all motor vehicle traffic crashes had at least one confirmed or suspected distracted driver. 76% of all distraction-related crashes involved at least one other vehicle besides the distracted driver.
MOTORCYCLES There were 221 motorcyclist fatalities that occurred in motor vehicle traffic crashes on Georgia roadways the largest number of motorcyclist fatalities recorded from 1994. More than half (54%) of motorcycle operators involved in crashes were riding without a valid motorcycle designation (Class M or MP) on their driver's license. In 2022, the total motorcycle-related hospitalization and emergency room charges in Georgia was $270 million.
OCCUPANT PROTECTION Unrestrained passenger vehicle (PV) occupants of
all ages are nearly 7 times more likely to be fatally injured compared to restrained occupants. Rural counties have a higher percentage of unrestrained PV fatalities and serious injuries among occupants of all ages (children and adults) compared to the Atlanta region and other urban regions.
OLDER DRIVERS (55 Years and Older) Older drivers (55+ years) accounted for 35% of all
licensed drivers, 24% of all drivers involved in fatal crashes, and 20% of all drivers involved in motor vehicle crashes. The total motor vehicle crash-related hospitalization and emergency room charges among Georgia residents 65+ years was $321 million.
YOUNG DRIVERS (15-20 Years) There were 192 young drivers aged 15-to-20 years
old involved in fatal crashes a 12% decrease since 2021 (26 fewer drivers). The total motor vehicle crash-related hospitalization and emergency room charges among Georgia residents 15-to-20 years was $209 million.

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Georgia Traffic Safety Performance Measures
Georgia's Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) vision is "Toward Zero Deaths," and the ultimate goal is to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities on Georgia roadways. Collaboration and coordination (galvanized by the SHSP) ensure uniformity among the prioritized traffic safety goals in Georgia, encourage a team effort in implementing safety programs, and promote diversity in field disciplines and the representation of stakeholder groups. As such, the SHSP, Highway Safety Plan by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, and Highway Safety Improvement Plan by the Georgia Department of Transportation track the following traffic safety performance measures and ensure that the state goals and target values align.

Traffic Safety Performance Measures

Traffic Fatalities

Total (C-1) Rural Roadways*

Urban Roadways*

Unknown

Serious Injuries (C-2)
Serious Injuries per 100 Million VMT (HSIP, C-2a)

Fatalities Per 100 Million VMT

Total (C-3) Rural Roadways* Urban Roadways*

Passenger
Vehicle Occupant Fatalities (All Seat Positions)

Total Restrained Unrestrained (C-4) Unknown

Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities (BAC=.08+) (C-5)

Speeding-Related Fatalities (C-6)

Motorcyclist Total (C-7)

Fatalities

Helmeted

Un-helmeted (C-8)

Unknown

Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes

Total Aged 15-20 Aged Under 21 (C-9)

Aged 65+

Pedestrian Fatalities (C-10)

Bicyclist Fatalities (C-11)

Non-Motorist Serious Injuries and Fatalities (HSIP, C-12)

Observed Seat Belt Use (B-1)

2013 1,180
557 621
2 **
**
1.08 2.18 0.74 812 350 377
85
296
197 116 107
5 4 1,621 156 156 198 176 28
**
96

2014 1,164
462 702
0 **
**
1.04 1.79 0.82 795 376 363
56
279
213 137 124
8 5 1,622 145 149 193 163 19
**
97

2015 1,432
565 867
0 4,896
4.15
1.21 1.98 0.97 1,008 488 411 109
358
268 152 138
10 4
2,043 165 168 293 194 23
594
97

2016 1,556
603 953
0 5,206
4.28
1.27 2.01 1.03 1,047 484 472
91
378
266 172 154
9 9 2,154 182 188 300 232 29
676
97

Year

2017 2018

1,540 1,505

594 508

946 997

0

0

5,370 6,401

4.25 4.79

1.23 1.14 2 1.55 1 1.01
1,056 994 488 448 464 441 104 105

357 379

248 268

139 154

119 134

18

16

2

4

2,283 2,149

188 192

194 192

308 272

253 262

15

30

755 735

97

96

2019 1,492
520 972
0 7,308
5.53
1.12 1.63 0.96 990 514 385
91
355
260 170 151
15 4
2,184 169 172 313 236 21
752
96

2020 1,658
645 1,010
3 7,606
6.58
1.43 2.23 1.16 1,065 502 461 102
371
380 191 167
17 7
2,359 205 209 299 279 32
740
96

2021 1,809
643 1,166
0 8,937
7.41
1.50 2.13 1.29 1,191 522 556 113
469
378 196 168
20 8
2,640 218 226 341 307 15
989
95

2022 1,797
637 1,159
1 8,660
6.70
1.39 1.46 1.36 1,092 456 518 118
507
422 221 191
27 3
2,505 192 203 305 345 29
1,102
89

* See data considerations for the definition or rural/urban roadways. Source: FARS 2022

Page 8

Data Definitions and Considerations:
The U.S. Department of Transportation's classifications of rural areas (and thus rural roadway segments) are based on land use at the census tract level and categorized as urban, urbanized, or rural. Rural roads are different from rural counties. Rural counties are based on population estimates obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2021 American Community Survey at the county level, not the census tract level. Rural counties have a population of less than 50,000 based on the most recent census available. As a result of the differentiation in the definitions, urban road systems can be located within rural counties.
A traffic crash is defined as an incident that involved one or more motor vehicles where at least one vehicle was in transport and the crash originated on a public trafficway, such as a road or highway. Crashes that occurred on private property, including parking lots and driveways, are excluded.
Fatal crashes are defined as crashes that involve a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and that result in the death of a motorist or a non-motorist within 30 days of the crash.
Serious injuries are those suspected serious injuries reported by law enforcement and used when any injury, other than a fatal injury, prevents the injured person from walking, driving, or normally continuing the activities the person was capable of before the injury occurred.
The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the Federal agency responsible for the use of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision (ICD-10) in the United States, has developed a clinical modification (CM) of the classification for morbidity (EMS, trauma, hospital, and ER data) purposes. ICD-10 Codes used were: V30-V39 (.4-.9), V40-V49 (.4-.9), V50-V59 (.4-.9),V60-V69 (.4-.9), V70-V79 (.4-.9), V81.1 V82.1,V83-V86 (.0-.3), V20V28 (.3-.9),V29 (.4-.9),V12-V14 (.3-.9),V19 (.4-.6), V02-V04 (.1,.9),V09.2,V80 (.3-.5),V87(.0-.8),V89.2
Passenger vehicles are defined as passenger cars, and light trucks (including vans, sport utility vehicles, and pickup trucks).
The Department of Driver Services provided licensing data for the 2022 year. Licensing data by age, county, and license type was not obtained for the 2022 year. The driver licensing database is a live database system and represents the information at a point in time on the date of extraction.
Contributing circumstances capture the precrash elements or improper actions of persons (motorcycle operators, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other motorists) that may have caused the crash. Contributing factors in fatal and nonfatal crashes are often underreported in the datasets. There is at least one record per person involved in a fatal crash (FARS Data), and some missing records for persons involved in motor vehicle traffic crashes (Crash Data).
Rural counties are counties that have a population of less than 50,000 according to the United States Decennial Census of 2020 or any future such census (O.C.G.A. Section 31-6-2). This is different than roadway classifications, where urban road systems can be located in urban clusters (or metropolitan areas) of at least 2,500 persons within the rural counties.
Police crash reports are reviewed in a post hoc analysis by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, the Georgia Department of Public Health, and the Georgia Department of Transportation using a jointly developed definition of suspected distracted driving based on multiple factors. The imputation of suspected distracted drivers includes drivers that indicate emotional distress and evidence of driver inattention and distraction. The imputation removes driver contributing factors that include drug/alcohol impairment, sleepiness/drowsiness, aggressive/reckless driving, and speeding. The CODES Analytical Reference Guide is available upon request.

For More Information:
Other 2022 traffic safety facts are available online at the Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety and Crash Outcomes Data Evaluation Systems (CODES):
Risky Driving Distracted Driving Non-Motorists (Pedestrians and Bicyclists) Occupant Protection Motorcycles Older Drivers Young Drivers Examining Alcohol Impaired Drivers Involved in Motor
Vehicle Crashes

The suggested APA format citation for this document is:
Georgia Crash Outcomes Data Evaluation System. (2024, October). Overview of Motor Vehicle Crashes in 2021: 2022 data. (Georgia Traffic Safety Facts). Atlanta, GA: Governor's Office of Highway Safety.

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