Birmingham Road Safety Overview
As Alabama’s largest city, traffic collisions are expected in Birmingham. If you live or work in town, you might not give much thought to how safe it is to drive in the city. However, those who are visiting Birmingham and curious residents alike might legitimately wonder how likely it is that they will be involved in a car accident.
How Frequently Do Traffic Accidents Happen in Birmingham, Alabama?
In 2022, 144,263 traffic collisions took place across the state of Alabama. This total included 907 fatal accidents that left 986 people dead. Both the number of deadly accidents and motorists killed increased from 2021 to 2022.
Also of note were the following statewide statistics:
- 112 pedestrians were killed
- 14 bicyclists died in crashes
- 8 people died in collisions with trains
- 957 fatalities involved a motorcyclist or moped rider
There were also 37,935 injuries reported related to Alabama traffic crashes.
Birmingham Traffic Collision Numbers
Birmingham-specific traffic crash statistics are not available. However, the Alabama Department of Transportation recorded 34,468 accidents in Jefferson and Shelby counties, where Birmingham sits. Of this total, 28,433 occurred in Jefferson County, and the remaining 6,035 were in Shelby County.
Of all the accidents that took place in both counties, the majority occurred at intersections. In Jefferson County, 17,389 motor vehicle accidents were at intersections, while 11,044 were located somewhere else. The ratio was similar in Shelby County, where 3,316 crashes were at intersections, and 2,719 happened away from an intersection.
A total of 113 traffic fatalities were recorded in Jefferson and Shelby counties. That makes up about 11% of all traffic-related deaths in the state for 2022. Thirteen of these deaths had apparent alcohol or drug involvement.
Safety Facts About Alabama Car Crashes
Some Alabama wrecks cause multiple fatalities, while others that occur under similar circumstances do not even cause injuries. Similarly, some motorists can drive for years and never get into a wreck, whereas others are constantly involved in collisions. The reasons for these disparities are many and complex, but Alabama state traffic data highlights several trends:
Seat Belt Use and Fatalities
Individuals who use a seat belt are less likely to be killed in a traffic collision versus those who do not use a restraint. Fifty-seven percent of individuals killed in Alabama motor vehicle accidents in 2022 were not wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision. While wearing your seat belt may not prevent you from being involved in a crash, it could save your life if you are.
Crashes At Night
Fifty-two percent of fatal accidents in Alabama occurred between dusk and dawn. Driving at night or in low-light conditions can increase the risk of striking other vehicles, animals, people, or other objects. When coupled with other driving behaviors like speeding, the risk of an accident increases even further.
Texting While Driving
Using a cellular phone to send and receive text messages while driving takes your eyes and attention off of the road and makes it difficult to control your car in an emergency. Therefore, it should surprise no one to learn that drivers who text while driving are 23 times more likely to get into a crash than those who do not. Nearly 70 deaths were linked to texting while driving.
Urban Crashes Versus Rural Accidents
Approximately three-quarters of all traffic accidents in the state happened in urban settings like Birmingham. This means that the vast majority of crashes in Jefferson and Shelby counties likely occurred in and around Birmingham and other urban areas. However, fatal wrecks were more likely to happen in rural parts of the state.
Tips For Staying Safe on Birmingham’s Roads
No matter your reason for driving in Birmingham, there is always the risk that you will be involved in a traffic wreck. This includes the chance that you or a loved one might be seriously injured or killed. While it is impossible to eliminate this risk completely, you can take the following steps to mitigate it:
Slow Down, Especially At Night and in Bad Weather
First, always be mindful of your speed. Do not be afraid to slow down during inclement weather, low-visibility situations, or heavy traffic. Don’t feel compelled to drive at the speed limit if you do not feel comfortable doing so. Speeding increases the chance of an accident and the risk of severe injuries or death.
Obey Right-of-Way Laws
Traffic can move safely through intersections so long as all drivers know and follow right-of-way laws. These rules of the road tell motorists who gets to proceed on their way and who must wait when two or more cars are converging at a single point. The fact that so many crashes happen at intersections is likely due in part to drivers not following these important traffic laws.
Do Not Drive High or Drunk
Avoid consuming alcohol or drugs before getting behind the wheel and driving. Even prescription medications can make you drowsy or impair your judgment. If you use any mind-altering or impairing substance and must travel afterward, make alternate arrangements so that you do not have to drive.
Wear Your Seat Belt At All Times
Finally, one of the easiest ways to protect yourself from serious injury or death is to wear a seat belt while in a motor vehicle. Even wrecks at low speeds can leave you with a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, or other similar injuries if you are not properly restrained. Take care to ensure any young children in your vehicle are also in an age- and weight-appropriate safety seat.
Road Safety Should Be Everyone’s Concern in Birmingham, AL
There is no denying the statistics showing that driving in Jefferson and Shelby counties, including in and around the Birmingham area, presents a risk of injury to motorists. However, these risks do not have to be realized. If everyone who used Birmingham’s roads were mindful of the behaviors that lead to crashes, the number of these events could be lowered.