I-65 in Alabama: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 432 fatal crashes on I-65 in Alabama killed 491 people, the most of any numbered road in Alabama. In 2024 there were 38 fatal crashes and 43 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 17 counties of Alabama. All fatal crashes in Alabama. I-65 in every state.
Deaths on I-65 in Alabama by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 38 | 43 |
| 2023 | 43 | 47 |
| 2022 | 42 | 51 |
| 2021 | 56 | 70 |
| 2020 | 43 | 46 |
| 2019 | 40 | 47 |
| 2018 | 35 | 39 |
| 2017 | 38 | 45 |
| 2016 | 63 | 66 |
| 2015 | 34 | 37 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-65 in Alabama: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Jefferson County had the most fatal crashes on I-65 from 2015 to 2024: 69, with 73 deaths. Jefferson, Mobile and Chilton counties together held 38% of fatal crashes on I-65 in Alabama from 2015 to 2024; the 15 listed held 99%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jefferson County | 7 | 69 | 73 |
| 2 | Mobile County | 3 | 61 | 68 |
| 3 | Chilton County | 5 | 35 | 39 |
| 4 | Shelby County | 3 | 34 | 37 |
| 5 | Butler County | 3 | 32 | 43 |
| 6 | Cullman County | 5 | 29 | 30 |
| 7 | Montgomery County | 4 | 27 | 37 |
| 8 | Baldwin County | 0 | 22 | 26 |
| 9 | Limestone County | 2 | 22 | 24 |
| 10 | Lowndes County | 1 | 20 | 25 |
| 11 | Conecuh County | 1 | 20 | 21 |
| 12 | Escambia County | 1 | 18 | 22 |
| 13 | Autauga County | 1 | 18 | 21 |
| 14 | Morgan County | 2 | 14 | 14 |
| 15 | Blount County | 0 | 8 | 8 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on I-65 in Alabama
The heaviest slot is Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 18 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 4 am to 5 am; the worst month is March.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 4.2 percent, 18 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 16 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 15 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 3.5 percent, 15 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.6 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 14 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.4 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 12 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.4 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 0.7 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 16 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.4 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 9 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.5 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 14 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 2.1 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 0.7 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 9 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.9%
- Feb7.4%
- Mar10.9%
- Apr7.6%
- May8.3%
- Jun7.6%
- Jul8.8%
- Aug10.9%
- Sep8.6%
- Oct8.3%
- Nov6.7%
- Dec7.9%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Fatal crashes per mile on I-65 in Alabama
11.8 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 366 miles of I-65 in Alabama, against 11.1 for all interstates in Alabama. That ranks 3 of 6 interstates in Alabama and 52 of 172 interstate pages on this site.
Mileage from the FHWA Interstate route log (table 1), the only figure here not counted from FARS. Crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle: FARS records crashes, not traffic.
What fatal crashes on I-65 in Alabama first hit
The first harmful event was a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 38%; a collision with another vehicle in 35%, a pedestrian in 14%, a rollover in 7.6%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 164 | 38% |
| Collision with another vehicle | 152 | 35% |
| Pedestrian | 60 | 14% |
| Rollover | 33 | 7.6% |
| Parked vehicle | 14 | 3.2% |
| Other | 9 | 2.1% |
| Cyclist | 0 | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes on I-65 in Alabama compare with the state
The largest difference from Alabama: from 2015 to 2024, 0.2% of fatal crashes on I-65 in Alabama were at or near an intersection, against 18% across Alabama. Below the Alabama share: drinking drivers, speeding and motorcycles. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Alabama. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 432 crashes.
| I-65 | Alabama | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 57% | 59% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.2% | 18% | below the Alabama share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 36% | 33% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| A drinking driver | 20% | 25% | below the Alabama share |
| Speeding | 21% | 27% | below the Alabama share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 6.7% | 5.5% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 56% | 58% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| Hit-and-run | 4.2% | 3.9% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| A motorcycle involved | 6.2% | 10% | below the Alabama share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 13% | 12% | about the same as the Alabama share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on I-65 in Alabama
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-65 in Alabama?
- 432 fatal crashes killed 491 people on I-65 in Alabama from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 38 fatal crashes and 43 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-65 in Alabama do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Jefferson County had the most fatal crashes on I-65 from 2015 to 2024: 69, with 73 deaths. Mobile County was second with 61.
- When do fatal crashes on I-65 in Alabama happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 18 fatal crashes.
- How dangerous is I-65 in Alabama per mile?
- 11.8 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 366 miles of road, against 11.1 for all interstates in Alabama. That ranks 3 of 6 interstates in Alabama and 52 of 172 interstate pages on this site. FARS records crashes, not traffic, so this is crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle.
Other roads in Alabama with a page
- I-10
- I-20
- I-22
- I-59
- I-85
- State Highway 13
- State Highway 14
- State Highway 157
- State Highway 17
- State Highway 20
- State Highway 21
- State Highway 22
All fatal crashes in Alabama, with every road ranked.
Where the I-65 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-65 in Alabama (filed under 3 spellings, such as "I-65", "I-65 SB", "i-65"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.