Truck accident statistics for Etowah County, Alabama (2020-2024)

Truck accident deaths in Etowah County by year

Truck accident deaths fell from 7 in 2020 to 2 in 2021, rose to 6 in 2022, fell to 3 in 2023 and rose to 4 in 2024. The highest count was 7 in 2020; the lowest was 2 in 2021. The 2024 count was 3 deaths lower than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The annual share of traffic deaths occurring in truck accidents followed the same sequence of declines and increases: 36.8% in 2020, 14.3% in 2021, 25.0% in 2022, 15.0% in 2023 and 18.2% in 2024. All traffic deaths numbered 19, 14, 24, 20 and 22 in those respective years. Each share uses that year's traffic death total.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Deaths within 30 days in crashes on public roads. 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised.

Who died in Etowah County truck accidents

People in the large truck accounted for 6 deaths, or 27.3%, while People in other vehicles accounted for 16 deaths, or 72.7%. People in other vehicles were the majority of truck accident deaths recorded in Etowah County from 2020 through 2024.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The row "Pedestrians, bicyclists and other people outside vehicles" recorded 0 deaths and 0.0%. This is the FARS nonoccupant grouping, including pedestrians, pedalcyclists and other or unknown nonoccupants. Its other category can include occupants of parked motor vehicles, so the label is not a literal test of whether someone was outside a vehicle.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The trucks involved

The truck accident vehicle records list 20 large trucks in fatal crashes during 2020 through 2024. Truck-tractors, described as semi or tractor-trailer units, numbered 12 and represented 60.0% of those large trucks. Single-unit and other large trucks numbered 8. The count of large trucks recorded as jackknifed was 0.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

These figures count vehicles, not crashes or deaths. A fatal crash can involve multiple large trucks. The 20 large trucks and 20 fatal crashes therefore remain separate measures, even though their counts match for this period.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

Counts are trucks, not crashes. One crash can involve more than one large truck.

How the fatal truck crashes happened

Manner of collision describes the first harmful event. Angle (side impact) recorded 7 deaths (31.8%); head-on, 3 (13.6%); rear-end, 3 (13.6%); and sideswipe, 2 (9.1%). "Not a collision with another moving vehicle" recorded 7 deaths (31.8%). That label means no collision with a motor vehicle in transport, which can be stopped in traffic. Examples include striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Separately, truck accident deaths by vehicle configuration were single-vehicle, 6 (27.3%); two-vehicle, 12 (54.5%); and three or more vehicles, 4 (18.2%). These shares classify deaths by the number of vehicles involved, rather than the manner of collision.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Interstates, time of day and setting

Interstate-coded truck accident deaths numbered 7, or 31.8%, during 2020 through 2024. The listed I-59 count was 7 deaths. Interstate identification requires ROUTE=1 and a parseable I-route number in TWAY_ID; the listed route counts are a coded subset, not a full road network.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Daytime, from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 17 deaths (77.3%). Nighttime, from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 5 (22.7%). Urban locations recorded 13 deaths (59.1%), and rural locations recorded 9 (40.9%). Work-zone deaths numbered 0; that measure counts deaths rather than vehicles or crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Truck accident death rate compared with Alabama and the United States

Etowah County's truck accident death rate was 4.3 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. It was higher than Alabama's rate of 2.8 and the United States rate of 1.6. The corresponding death counts were 22 for the county, 719 for Alabama and 27,553 nationally. No neighboring county rates are listed in the supplied figures.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The rates use deaths divided by the sum of annual population estimates and multiplied by 100,000. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. For readers using the phrase "truck accident lawyer," the grouping reminder is that these death counts follow crash location, while the rates use population estimates.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates, so they show deaths per 100,000 residents per year. They do not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.

About these figures

FARS is a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Inclusion requires a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and an occupant or nonoccupant death within 30 days. County counts follow crash location, not the deceased person's residence. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded.^[9][6][7][8]

The 2020 through 2023 records are Final Files. The 2024 Annual Report File can change when replaced by the Final File. Rates divide 2020 through 2024 deaths by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025 and multiply by 100,000, yielding average annual deaths per 100,000 residents. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. The separately displayed July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the denominator.^[9][6][7][8]