Fatal car crashes in Jefferson County, Alabama
From 2020 through 2024, 529 people died in 499 crashes on roads in Jefferson County, Alabama.
That is 15.9 deaths a year for every 100,000 residents, below the Alabama rate of 18.8 and above the US rate of 12.1.
I-59 had more fatal crashes than any other road here: 63, killing 67.
Hit-and-runs made up 9% of fatal crashes here, against 4% statewide.
In 2024, 101 people were killed, 8% fewer than in 2020 (110).
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020-2024 · population: Census 2024 estimate, 664,744 · checked October 2, 2026
people killed in crashes, 2020-2024 (499 crashes)
deaths a year per 100,000 residents (Alabama 18.8, US 12.1)
pedestrians killed, 19% of all deaths here
of fatal crashes involved a driver police reported as drinking
Where the fatal crashes happened
Each dot is one crash that killed at least one person, placed at the coordinates in the police report.
The deadliest roads in Jefferson County
I-59 leads with 63 fatal crashes in five years. Roads are counted by the name in the crash report; a highway's frontage roads and ramps count toward it.
| # | Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-59 | 63 | 67 |
| 2 | I-65 | 40 | 41 |
| 3 | I-459 | 28 | 32 |
| 4 | SR-5 Forestdale Blvd | 20 | 20 |
| 5 | I-20 I-59 | 12 | 13 |
| 6 | SR-79 | 12 | 12 |
| 7 | 3Rd Ave W | 8 | 8 |
| 8 | I-22 | 8 | 8 |
| 9 | US-31 SR-3 | 7 | 8 |
| 10 | US-78 SR-4 | 7 | 7 |
Deaths by year
Jefferson County ranks 1st of 66 Alabama counties by deaths and 58th by death rate (1st = highest), among counties with 10 or more fatal crashes.
When crashes turn deadly
54% of fatal crashes here happened in the dark. The single deadliest hour was 6 pm to 7 pm.
Sunday had the most fatal crashes (91), and 35% fell on a Saturday or Sunday.
By month, October was the worst (53 crashes across the five years).
What was involved
Shares of fatal crashes (or of deaths) in Jefferson County, next to Alabama and the US. Red marks a share at least a quarter higher than the state's.
| Factor | Jefferson County | Share | Alabama | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speeding was a factor a driver coded by police as speeding, racing or too fast for conditions | 91 | 18% | 27% | 28% |
| A driver had been drinking police reported alcohol involvement for at least one driver | 49 | 10% | 25% | 26% |
| A large truck was involved a truck over 10,000 lbs | 53 | 11% | 15% | 13% |
| Hit-and-run a driver left the scene | 47 | 9% | 4% | 7% |
| Pedestrians killed share of all deaths | 103 | 19% | 12% | 18% |
| Motorcyclists killed share of all deaths | 49 | 9% | 10% | 15% |
| Bicyclists killed share of all deaths | 6 | 1% | 1% | 3% |
| Teens (15-19) killed share of all deaths | 13 | 2% | 7% | 7% |
After a crash in Jefferson County
-
Get the crash report
Statewide copies come from Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), Driver License Division, cost $15 per report.
-
Know your deadline
Alabama gives you two years to file a personal injury lawsuit (Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l)). If a city, county or state vehicle was involved: Tort claims against a city or town must be presented to the municipal clerk within six months of when the claim accrues. Claims against counties and the state follow other statutes not checked here.
-
Who pays
Alabama is an at-fault state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the injuries and damage.
-
If you were partly at fault
If you were even slightly at fault for the crash, Alabama law can bar you from recovering anything on a negligence claim (the contributory negligence rule); the bar does not apply to wanton misconduct claims.
-
The other driver’s minimum coverage
The legal minimum liability coverage in Alabama is $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 per crash and $25,000 for property (25/50/25).
Check your deadline and a rough claim range
A filing date and a rough value range for Alabama. Both take under a minute.
Cities in Jefferson County
| City | Deaths 2020-24 | Per 100K a year | Pedestrians | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 230 | 23.4 | 51 | 196,357 |
| Bessemer | 36 | 28.7 | 13 | 25,079 |
| Hoover | 30 | 6.5 | 7 | 93,013 |
Nearby counties
| County | Distance | Deaths 2020-24 | Per 100K a year | Pedestrians | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County, Alabama | 24 mi | 87 | 7.4 | 4 | 235,969 |
| Walker County, Alabama | 29 mi | 91 | 27.9 | 6 | 65,260 |
| Blount County, Alabama | 35 mi | 70 | 23.3 | 6 | 60,163 |
| St. Clair County, Alabama | 36 mi | 101 | 20.8 | 5 | 96,927 |
| Bibb County, Alabama | 39 mi | 24 | 21.6 | 0 | 22,258 |
| Cullman County, Alabama | 40 mi | 115 | 24.8 | 9 | 92,604 |
| Tuscaloosa County, Alabama | 41 mi | 195 | 16.2 | 28 | 241,212 |
| Talladega County, Alabama | 43 mi | 109 | 26.8 | 13 | 81,375 |
About these numbers
FARS counts every crash on a public road in which someone died within 30 days. It leaves out the far larger number of crashes that only injured people. Places are as coded in the report: a crash on a county road just outside city limits counts for the county, not the city. Rates use the Census 2024 population estimate and the five-year average.