Georgia Car Accident Statistics for 2025

Posted in Car Accidents on September 9, 2025

two cars met head-on, red is in the oncoming laneAmerica is seeing encouraging signs in 2025. National traffic deaths fell again after declines in 2024, and the fatality rate is at its lowest level since 2019. At the same time, the burden of crashes remains high for families and communities. This guide summarizes the latest national and Georgia data for 2024 and early 2025, with takeaways you can use if you have been hurt in a crash.

A 2025 snapshot

  • First quarter 2025: Traffic fatalities fell 6.3 percent compared with the same period in 2024, and the fatality rate dropped to 1.05 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, the lowest quarterly rate since early 2019. Source: NHTSA Q1 2025 press release.
  • Full year 2024: NHTSA estimates 39,345 traffic deaths and a national fatality rate of 1.20 per 100 million miles, both improvements from 2023. Sources: NHTSA press release and CrashStats 813710.
  • Pedestrians: Governors Highway Safety Association estimates 7,148 people walking were killed in 2024, down 4.3 percent from 2023 but still above pre-pandemic levels. Source: GHSA 2024 pedestrian report.

How many people are dying and when

Final 2023 data recorded 40,901 deaths, after 2022’s peak. About one third of 2023 deaths occurred between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., and weekends carried the heaviest toll, with Saturday the single deadliest day. Sources: IIHS yearly snapshot and NSC time of day and day of week.

Key risk factors in the 2025 context

Speed

Speeding contributed to 11,775 deaths in 2023, 29 percent of all traffic fatalities. Fast-moving traffic compresses reaction time and multiplies stopping distance, which is why speed shows up consistently in severe injury claims.

Alcohol impairment

Alcohol-impaired driving accounted for 12,429 deaths in 2023, about 30 percent of all fatalities. Nighttime and weekend crashes show especially high alcohol involvement, which can be relevant evidence when reconstructing how a collision happened.

Distraction

Distraction-affected crash deaths totaled 3,275 in 2023. Phone use remains a leading concern. Even hands-free conversations can degrade situational awareness and reaction time.

Seat belt use

Front-seat belt use held at 91.2 percent in 2024. Consistent restraint use is still one of the simplest ways to reduce the risk of serious injury in comparable crashes.

Motorcyclists

Motorcyclists face outsized risk. In 2023, there were 6,335 motorcyclist deaths and a fatality rate of 31.39 per 100 million miles. That rate was almost 28 times the passenger car occupant fatality rate. Source: CrashStats 813732.

Large trucks

Crashes involving large trucks killed 5,472 people in 2023. Seventy percent of those killed were occupants of other vehicles. These cases often turn on stopping distance, line-of-sight, and commercial carrier compliance with federal rules.

Georgia at a glance

Georgia’s statewide numbers mirror national patterns. GDOT reports 1,466 roadway deaths in 2024. Of those fatalities, 20.1 percent were pedestrians, and 62 percent of victims were unbelted or belt use was unknown. Georgia’s safety campaigns focus on buckling up, putting the phone down, and driving alert, with targeted pedestrian visibility efforts through the See and Be Seen program.

Injuries and the economic cost behind the headlines

Deaths tell only part of the story. Emergency departments treated an average of 3.8 million motor vehicle crash injuries per year in 2019 to 2020, with visit rates highest in the South. The direct economic cost of crashes was 340 billion dollars in 2019, including lost productivity, medical care, legal and court costs, emergency services, insurance administration, congestion, and property damage.

What these numbers mean for Georgia crash claims in 2025

  • Evidence is critical. National patterns are helpful, but your case turns on proof. Photos, on-scene measurements, witness information, vehicle event data, dashcam footage, and prompt medical documentation help align your facts with the science behind speed, impairment, and distraction.
  • Timing and context shape liability arguments. If your collision occurred during higher-risk windows like evening rush or weekend nights, that context may support arguments about speed, alcohol, or distraction, as shown in national and IIHS data.
  • Vulnerable road users and trucks require special attention. Pedestrian exposure, line-of-sight at turns, lighting, and truck stopping distance are common battlegrounds. The large-truck fatality share and Georgia’s pedestrian proportions make careful scene investigation especially important.
  • Damages include more than medical bills. The federal 340 billion dollar figure captures economic costs only. Civil claims can also recover pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment, and other non-economic harms that a federal ledger does not count.

Practical safety steps based on current data

  • Manage speed and space. With nearly three in ten deaths tied to speed, give yourself time to react, especially on rural highways and high-speed corridors. Source: NHTSA 2023 speeding data.
  • Plan a sober ride. About 30 percent of 2023 fatalities involved alcohol impairment. Use a designated driver or rideshare and be extra cautious at night. Source: NHTSA 2023 alcohol-impaired data.
  • Stow the phone. Distraction-affected deaths are stubbornly high. Enable do-not-disturb before you shift into drive. Source: NHTSA 2023 distraction note.
  • Buckle every ride. Consistent belt use remains one of the fastest ways to reduce severe injury risk. Source: NHTSA 2024 seat belt use.
  • Watch for people outside the vehicle. Twilight and night hours are hard on visibility for pedestrians, cyclists, and riders. Scan wide at turns and trail braking into crosswalks to maintain options. Sources: GHSA and IIHS.

Frequently asked questions

Are crashes really trending down in 2025?

Yes. NHTSA’s early estimate shows a 6.3 percent decline in deaths for the first quarter of 2025 and the lowest quarterly fatality rate since early 2019. That continues 2024’s national improvement in both deaths and the fatality rate. Sources: NHTSA Q1 2025 and NHTSA 2024 estimate.

What kinds of crashes are driving severe injuries now?

Speed, impairment, and distraction remain primary factors nationwide. Large-truck involvement and motorcyclist risk are also key focus areas. Sources: speeding, alcohol-impaired, distraction, large trucks, motorcycles.

How does Georgia compare?

Georgia reported 1,466 deaths in 2024, with 20.1 percent of victims walking and 62 percent unbelted or belt use unknown. Those proportions largely track national concerns and highlight opportunities for safer design, enforcement, and behavior. Source: GDOT Drive Alert Arrive Alive.

If you were hurt in a crash:

  • Get medical care quickly and follow your treatment plan.
  • Preserve evidence, including photos, video, vehicle data, and witness contacts.
  • Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer before you understand your rights.

Why source quality matters to your claim

Courts and insurers rely on high-quality data. The figures in this article come from NHTSA CrashStats and press releases, IIHS Fatality Facts, GHSA pedestrian assessments, CDC emergency department data, and Georgia DOT safety dashboards. These are authoritative references that help align your case evidence with national patterns.

Bottom line for 2025

The national trend is improving, including in early 2025, but risk remains elevated compared with pre-pandemic years. Speed, impairment, distraction, low visibility, and heavy vehicles continue to drive severe outcomes. If you or a loved one has been injured in a collision, Davies Hothem Injury Law can connect your facts to the right experts and strategies to pursue full compensation.

Selected sources