Overview of motor vehicle crashes in 2023

Georgia Traffic Safety Facts
2023 Data

October 2025
In this fact sheet, information is presented as follows.
Fatality & Injury Rates Police-Reported Crashes Urban vs. Rural Trends Traffic Safety Highlights
by Emphasis Area Georgia Traffic Safety
Performance Measures
Other topic-specific, Georgia Traffic Safety Facts available for 2023 are: Pedestrians & Bicyclists
(Non-Motorists) Distracted Driving Motorcycles Occupant Protection Older Drivers Young Drivers Risky Driving Speeding Impaired Driving
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 2023
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.
2023 Key Findings
Traffic Fatalities
In Georgia, there were 1,615 motor vehicle traffic fatalities in 2023, resulting in
1.28 traffic fatalities for every 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Although Georgia ranks fourth in the number of fatalities in the nation, it ranks 24th in fatalities per 100M VMT.
Georgia traffic fatalities decreased by 10% from 1,796 in 2022 to 1,615 in 2023.
All Regions (Atlanta, Other Urban, and Rural) experienced a decrease in the number of total traffic fatalities, passenger vehicle occupant fatalities, unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant fatalities, fatalities involving large trucks, and fatalities involving young drivers aged 15-to-20 Years
Rural Regions experienced an increase in the number of speeding-related fatalities.
Other Urban Regions also experienced an increase in the number of motorcyclist fatalities, pedestrian fatalities, and fatalities involving older drivers aged 65+ years.
Serious Traffic Injuries & Cost
Between 2019 and 2023, the number of suspected serious crash injuries
reported by law enforcement responding to a motor vehicle traffic incident increased by 12%, from 7,308 in 2019 to 8,171 in 2023. 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 26% of all injuries treated by designated and non-designated trauma centers across the state of Georgia. In 2023, the total motor vehicle traffic-related hospitalization and emergency room charges in Georgia was $2.4 billion for 8,695 motor vehicle traffic-related hospitalizations and 103,147 motor vehicle traffic-related emergency room visits.

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Fatalities and Injury Rates Traffic-related fatalities in Georgia decreased by 10% from 1,796 roadway fatalities in 2022 to 1,615 fatalities in 2023. The rate of traffic fatalities for every 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) decreased from 1.39 in 2022 to 1.28 in 2023. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Highway Policy Information Traffic Volume Trends, vehicle miles traveled in Georgia decreased by 2% between 2022 and 2023; however, the overall VMT in 2022 is still lower than pre-pandemic norms.

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

2014-2023

2,500
2,000
1.04
1,500

Fatalities 1.21 1.27
1,432 1,556

Fatality Rate per 100M VMT

1.43 1.50 1.39

1.23
1,540

1.14
1,505

1.12
1,492

1,658

1,809

1,796

1.6
1.4
1.28 1.2
1
1,615
0.8

1,164 1,000

0.6

0.4 500
0.2

-

0

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Source: FARS 20142023

In 2023, the state of Georgia ranked as the fourth-highest by number of traffic fatalities and 24th by fatality rate (traffic fatalities per 100M VMT) in the nation. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of national traffic fatalities decreased by 4%, and the national fatality rate per 100M VMT decreased by 6%. During this time, Georgia experienced a 10% decrease in traffic fatalities and an 8% 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 fifth (ranked last) for the traffic fatality rate. The number of traffic fatalities within NHTSA Region IV decreased by 4% from 2022 to 2023, and the fatality rate per 100M VMT decreased by 6%.

Table 1: Traffic Fatalities, Fatality Rate per 100M VMT by Region and Year (2019, 2022, and 2023)

Traffic Fatalities

Fatality Rate per 100M VMT

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

2019 36,355

2022 42,721

2023 40,901

Percentage Change

5-Year

1-Year

Comparison Comparison

(2019-2023) (2022-2023)

13%

-4%

7,749 8,739 8,355

8%

-4%

2019
1.11 1.35

2022
1.34 1.53

2023
1.26 1.44

Percentage Change

5-Year

1-Year

Comparison Comparison

(2019-2023) (2022-2023)

14%

-6%

6%

-6%

Georgia

1,492 1,796 1,615

8%

-10% 1.12 1.39 1.28

14%

-8%

Source: FARS 2019, 2022, and 2023

In Georgia, the traffic fatality rates (per 100M VMT, population, licensed drivers, and registered vehicles) decreased in 2023 compared to 2022 (Table 2).
Vehicle miles traveled decreased by 2% (3.0 million fewer miles), in part resulting in a decreased fatality rate of 1.28 traffic fatalities per 100M VMT.
Population increased by 1% (+116,351 people), in part resulting in 14.6 traffic fatalities per 100,000 people.
Licensed drivers increased by 2% (+192,781 drivers), in part resulting in 18.9 traffic fatalities per 100,000 licensed drivers.
Registered vehicles increased by 1% (+110,097 vehicles), in part resulting in 15.3 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, 2014-2023

Year

Traffic Fatalities

2014 1,164

Vehicle Miles Traveled

Number (millions)

Fatality Rate per
100M

111,923

1.04

Population

Number
10,097,343

Fatality Rate per 100,000
11.5

Licensed Drivers

Number
7,263,758

Fatality Rate per 100,000
16.0

Registered Vehicles

Number
8,933,714

Fatality Rate per 100,000
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 1,796

129,209

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

10,458,845 17.2

2023 1,615

126,172

1.28 11,029,227 14.6 8,564,852 18.9

10,568,942 15.3

Note: The number of licensed drivers includes licensure from all classes (e.g., commercial and motorcycle). Licenses reported in 2014-2015 include suspended licenses, and licenses reported in 2016-2023 are valid licenses. Source: FARS 2014-2023, OASIS 2014-2023, DDS 2014-2023, FY2014-FY2023 DOR Annual Reports.

Suspected Serious Crash Injuries
Between 2019 and 2023, the number of suspected serious crash2 injuries increased by 12%, from 7,308 in 2019 to 8,171 in 2023 (Table 3). In 2023, there were 5.96 serious traffic injuries per 100M VMT (an 8% increase from 2019) and 2,185 serious traffic injuries per 100,000 traffic crashes (a 21% increase from 2019).
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. Persons in passenger vehicles (cars and light trucks) represented nearly three-quarters of all traffic-related serious injuries in 2023. 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, 2019-2023

Year 2019

Suspected Serious Injuries
7,308

Suspected Serious Injury Rate

Per 100M VMT

Per 100,000 Crashes

5.53

1,808.9

2020

7,606

6.58

2,293.0

2021

8,937

7.41

2,306.7

2022

8,660

7.27

2,252.1

2023

8,171

5.96

2,184.7

Source: FFY2025 GOHS Core Performance Measures

Figure 2: Serious Injuries by Person Type, 2023

Passenger Car Occupant Light-Truck Vehicle Occupant Motorcyclists Bicyclists & Pedestrians Other Large Truck Occupant
Source: CODES 2023 Light trucks include pickup trucks, SUVs, and vans.

4% 8% 11%
31%

43%

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.

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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 2023. More than threequarters of all motor vehicle traffic-related EMS transports (42,802 out of 51,627 EMS transports) were reported with a motor-vehicle-related ICD-10 code. Of the 42,802 motor vehicle traffic-related incidents reported as seen or transported by EMS in 2023, 88% were motor vehicle occupants, 7% were motorcyclists, 6% were non-motorists, and 1% were other motor vehicle-related incidents. Compared to other age groups, persons in the 25-to-34 age group have the highest rate of motor vehicle traffic-related EMS transports 557.0 transports for every 100,000 population.

Emergency Room Visits & Hospitalizations
In 2023, there were a total of 103,147 motor vehicle traffic-related emergency room (ER) visits and 8,695 motor vehicle traffic-related hospitalizations.1 Of those motor vehicle traffic-related injuries, motor vehicle occupants accounted for 64% of the ER visits and 47% of the hospitalizations. Also, nearly 30% of motor vehicle traffic-related ER visits and hospitalizations were reported as other or unspecified person type. 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 1,767.9 ER visits and 114.0 hospitalizations for every 100,000 population. The total motor vehicle traffic-related hospitalization and emergency room charges in Georgia was $2.4 billion.

Trauma Center Patients
According to the Georgia Trauma Registry data, motor vehicle traffic-related incidents accounted for 26% of all injuries treated by designated and non-designated Trauma Centers2 across the state of Georgia in 2023. Of the 12,442 motor vehicle traffic-related trauma patients treated, 79% were motor vehicle occupants, 10% 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 176.0 trauma patients for every 100,000 population.

Table 4. Motor Vehicle Traffic-Related Serious Injuries and Percent of Total Serious Injuries by Injury Surveillance Source, 2023

Person Type
Motor Vehicle Occupant Motorcyclists Pedestrians Bicyclists Other / Unspecified

Police-Reported Suspected Serious
Crash Injuries

Count

Percent

6,263

77%

892

11%

564

7%

117

1%

335

4%

Emergency Medical Services

Count Percent

36,746 88%

2,862

7%

2,161

5%

309

1%

624

1%

Trauma Center

Count 9,860 1,217 1,087
275 3

Percent 79% 10% 9% 2% --

All Person Types

8,660

100% 42,802 100% 12,442 100%

Source: CODES 2023, DPH-OHIP Hospital Inpatient Discharge and Emergency Room Visit Only Data 2023, GEMSIS 2023

Emergency Room

Hospitalizations

Count 66,502
4,000 1,879
404 30,362

Percent 64% 4% 2% 0% 29%

103,147 100%

Count 4,090 1,253 732 101 2,519
8,695

Percent 47% 14% 9% 1% 29%
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 2019 and 2023, as shown in Table 4. 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 2022 and 2023, there was a 3% decrease in total policereported crashes, a 7% decrease in fatal traffic crashes, a 5% decrease in serious injury crashes, and a 5% decrease in PDO crashes.

Table 5: Police-Reported Crashes by Crash Severity, 2019-2023

Crash Severity

2019

2020

Year 2021

2022

2023

2022-2023 Change

Number

Percent

Total Crashes

403,897 331,710 387,444 384,527 373,135

-11,392

-3%

Fatal Crashes

1,378

1,522

1,681

1,678

1,562

-116

-7%

Non-Fatal Crashes*

402,519 330,188 385,760 382,849 372,446

-11,276

-3%

Serious Injury Crashes

6,069

6,370

7,531

7,253

6,872

-381

-5%

Property-DamageOnly Crashes**

289,184 234,142 278,916 281,892 268,470

-13,422

-5%

Source: FARS 2019-2023, Numetric 2012-2023 *Non-Fatal Crashes also include other injury crashes. ** 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 2019 and 2023. The number of fatalities in multi-vehicle fatal crashes decreased by 2%, from 732 fatalities in 2019 to 716 fatalities in 2023.
25% of all fatal crashes (372 out of 1,491) 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 1% from 368 in 2019 to 372 in 2023.
45% 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 9% from 175 in 2019 to 160 in 2023.
12% 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 involving large trucks decreased by 22%, from 150 in 2019 to 117 in 2023.

Table 6: Traffic Fatalities by Crash Type, 2019 and 2023

Fatal Crash Types

Total Fatal Crashes*

Fatal Crashes

1,378

Intersection (or Intersection-Related)

368

Roadway Departure

639

2019 Single Vehicle
733
94
464

Multi- Total Fatal Vehicle Crashes*
645 1,491

274

372

175

679

2023 Single Vehicle
865
108
519

MultiVehicle
625
264
160

2019-2023 Percentage Change

Total Fatal Crashes

Single Vehicle

Multi-Vehicle

8%

18%

-3%

1%

15%

-4%

6%

12%

-9%

Involving Large Trucks

180

30

150

172

36

136

-4%

20%

-9%

Source: FARS 2019 and 2023. *Total fatal crashes include crashes with an unknown number of vehicles involved in fatal crashes.

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 2014 and 2023. One-third of all Georgia fatal crashes occur in rural areas--although only 21% 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 5%, from 499 in 2019 to 523 in 2023.
Table 7 shows the one-year comparison of selected traffic categories by region. In comparison to the previous year, the following categories decreased in all three regions:
Total traffic fatalities Passenger vehicle occupant fatalities Unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant fatalities Fatalities involving large trucks Involving young drivers aged 15-to-20 years
Rural Region had increases in: Speeding-related fatalities (2% increase)
Other Urban Regions had increases in: Motorcyclist fatalities (7% increase) Pedestrian fatalities (8% increase) Involving older drivers aged 65+ years (9% increase)

Figure 6: Traffic Fatalities by Region, 2014-2023
Rural (118 counties) Other Urban Regions (30 counties) Atlanta Region (11 counties)
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Source: FARS 2014-2023 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 previously 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 Total Traffic Fatalities

2022 622

Atlanta Region

(11 counties)

2023

Change Number Percent

523

-99

-16%

Other Urban Region

(30 counties)

2022

2023

Change Number Percent

569 548 -21

-4%

Passenger Vehicle Occupant Fatalities

345 293

-52

-15% 322 307 -15

-5%

Unrestrained

Passenger Vehicle

160 119

-41

-26% 139 138

-1

Occupant Fatalities

Motorcyclist Fatalities

82 56

-26

-32%

86 92

6

Pedestrian Fatalities 175 150

-25

-14% 103 111

8

Bicyclist Fatalities

5

6

1

20%

16 13

-3

Alcohol-Related Fatalities

207 144

-63

-30% 152 139 -13

Speeding Related Fatalities

163 118

-45

-28% 134 103 -31

Fatalities Involving Large Trucks

73 57

-16

-22%

92 59 -33

Involving Young

Drivers Aged 15-to-20 71 67

-4

-6%

72 65

-7

Years

Involving Older

Drivers Aged 65+

66 70

4

6%

91 99

8

Years

-1% 7% 8% -19% -9% -23% -36%
-10%
9%

Source: FARS 2022 and 2023

Rural Region

(118 counties)

2022

2023

Change Number Percent

605 544 -61

-10%

426 405 -21

-5%

221 209 -12

53 48

-5

67 49 -18

7

4

-3

149 149

--

125 128

3

108 94 -14

-5%
-9% -27% -43%
--
2%
-13%

62 60

-2

-3%

151 130 -21

-14%
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Additional Georgia Traffic Safety Facts by Emphasis Area

Below are selected key findings from the 2023 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 3.2 times more likely to be speeding and 2.3 times more likely to be unrestrained compared to other tested drivers with no alcohol in their system. For those drivers involved in a fatal crash, nearly 1 out of 5 speeding drivers (19%) had a speeding conviction, and 3% of alcohol-impaired and/or drugged drivers had a DWI conviction (driving while intoxicated or impaired) previously recorded within five years.
SPEEDING 18% of all fatal crashes involved at least one driver who was speeding in 2023. Compared to the previous year, speeding-related fatal crashes decreased by 22%; however, there were no changes in serious injury speeding-related crashes and a 1% decrease in all speeding crashes in 2023. In 2023, rural counties had the most speeding-related fatal crashes (113 speeding-related crashes)--the highest number of rural speeding-related fatal crashes recorded in the past decade.
IMPAIRED DRIVING 27% of all traffic fatalities that occurred on Georgia
roadways were alcohol-related compared to 30% nationwide. Alcohol-related fatal crashes in Georgia decreased by 15% in 2023. Repeat offenders were more likely to receive alcoholrelated convictions, especially in non-severe and serious injury crashes; however, the conviction rate for alcohol-related offenses decreases as crash severity increases for both groups.
OCCUPANT PROTECTION Unrestrained passenger vehicle (PV) occupants of all
ages are nearly 6.4 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.
DISTRACTED DRIVING 55% of all motor vehicle traffic crashes had at least one confirmed or suspected distracted driver. 79% of all distraction-related crashes involved at least one other vehicle besides the distracted driver.

NON-MOTORISTS Pedestrians
In 2023, three-quarters of pedestrian fatalities (72%) and nearly half (47%) 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 $203 million for Georgia residents.
Bicyclists There was an average of 24 bicyclist fatalities in traffic crashes each year between 2019-2023. The motor vehicle-related, bicyclist hospitalization and emergency room visit charges were $68 million for Georgia residents.
MOTORCYCLES In 2023, there were 196 motorcyclist fatalities that occurred in motor vehicle traffic crashes on Georgia roadways an 11% decrease from the previous year's record high motorcycle fatalities. More than half (53%) of motorcycle operators involved in crashes were riding without a valid motorcycle designation (Class M or MP) on their driver's license. In 2023, the total motorcycle-related hospitalization and emergency room charges in Georgia were $322 million.
OLDER DRIVERS (55 Years and Older) Older drivers (55+ years) accounted for 36% of
all licensed drivers, 27% of all drivers involved in fatal crashes, and 21% 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 $358 million.
YOUNG DRIVERS (15-20 Years) In 2023, there were 176 young drivers aged 15-
to-20 years old involved in fatal crashes an 8% decrease since 2022 (15 fewer drivers). The total motor vehicle crash-related hospitalization and emergency room charges among Georgia residents aged 15 to 20 years were $226 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

2014 2015 2016

Traffic Fatalities

Total (C-1) Rural Roadways*

1,164 1,432 1,556 462 565 603

Urban Roadways* Unknown

702 867 953

-

-

-

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

** 4,896 5,206 ** 4.15 4.28

Fatalities Per 100 Million VMT

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

1.04 1.21 1.27 1.79 1.98 2.01 0.82 0.97 1.03

Passenger Vehicle Occupant Fatalities (All Seat Positions)

Total Restrained Unrestrained (C-4) Unknown

795 1,008 1,047 376 488 484 363 411 472

56 109

91

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

279 358 378

Speeding-Related Fatalities (C-6)

213 268 266

Motorcyclist Total (C-7)

Fatalities

Helmeted

137 152 172 124 138 154

Un-helmeted (C-8)

8

10

9

Unknown

5

4

9

Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes

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

1,622 145 149

2,043 165 168

2,154 182 188

Aged 65+

193 293 300

Pedestrian Fatalities (C-10)

163 194 232

Bicyclist Fatalities (C-11)

19

23

29

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

** 594 676

Observed Seat Belt Use (B-1)

97

97

97

* See data considerations for the definition or rural/urban roadways. Source: FARS 2023

2017 1,540
594 946
5,370
4.25
1.23 2 1
1,056 488 464 104
357
248 139 119
18 2
2,283 188 194 308 253 15
755
97

Year

2018 2019

1,505 1,492

508 520

997 972

-

-

6,401 7,308

4.79 5.53

1.14 1.12 1.55 1.63 1.01 0.96 994 990 448 514 441 385 105 91

379 355

268 260

154 170

134 151

16 15

4

4

2,149 2,184

192 169

192 172

272 313

262 236

30 21

735 752

96 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
8,937
7.41
1.50 2.13 1.29 1,192 522 557 113
470
378 196 168
20 8
2,640 218 226 341 307 15
989
95

2022 1,796
638 1,157
1 8,660
7.27
1.39 1.47 1.36 1,093 455 521 117
509
422 221 192
26 3
2,494 191 202 305 345 29
1,102
89

2023 1,615
559 1,056
8,171
5.96
1.28 1.75 1.12 1,001 418 464 119
433
349 196 178
17 1
2,261 176 183 303 310 24
1,014
88
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 involves 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 year 2023. Licensing data by age, county, and license type was not obtained for the year 2023. The driver licensing database is a live database system and represents the information at a point in time on the date of extraction.
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 who 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 2023 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. (2025, October). Overview of Motor Vehicle Crashes in 2023: 2023 data. (Georgia Traffic Safety Facts). Atlanta, GA: Governor's Office of Highway Safety.

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