I-85 in Alabama: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 97 fatal crashes on I-85 in Alabama killed 109 people, the 8th most of 243 numbered roads in Alabama. In 2024 there were 12 fatal crashes and 14 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 4 counties of Alabama. All fatal crashes in Alabama. I-85 in every state.
Deaths on I-85 in Alabama by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12 | 14 |
| 2023 | 11 | 12 |
| 2022 | 10 | 11 |
| 2021 | 7 | 7 |
| 2020 | 10 | 12 |
| 2019 | 10 | 10 |
| 2018 | 8 | 12 |
| 2017 | 9 | 11 |
| 2016 | 9 | 9 |
| 2015 | 11 | 11 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-85 in Alabama: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Montgomery County had the most fatal crashes on I-85 from 2015 to 2024: 36, with 38 deaths. Montgomery, Macon and Lee counties together held 85% of fatal crashes on I-85 in Alabama from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montgomery County | 4 | 36 | 38 |
| 2 | Macon County | 2 | 23 | 27 |
| 3 | Lee County | 4 | 23 | 26 |
| 4 | Chambers County | 2 | 15 | 18 |
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-85 in Alabama
97 fatal crashes on I-85 in Alabama from 2015 to 2024 have a known time, too few for any one weekday and time of day to stand out. The worst hour is 4 am to 5 am; the worst month is April.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 5.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 6.2 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 2.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 6.2 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan8.2%
- Feb8.2%
- Mar8.2%
- Apr12.4%
- May10.3%
- Jun7.2%
- Jul7.2%
- Aug9.3%
- Sep10.3%
- Oct7.2%
- Nov5.2%
- Dec6.2%
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-85 in Alabama
12.1 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 80 miles of I-85 in Alabama, against 11.1 for all interstates in Alabama. That ranks 2 of 6 interstates in Alabama and 49 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-85 in Alabama first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 39%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 26%, a pedestrian in 20%, a rollover in 9.3%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 38 | 39% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 25 | 26% |
| Pedestrian | 19 | 20% |
| Rollover | 9 | 9.3% |
| Parked vehicle | 4 | 4.1% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 1.0% |
| Other | 1 | 1.0% |
| 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-85 in Alabama compare with the state
The largest difference from Alabama: from 2015 to 2024, 34% of fatal crashes on I-85 in Alabama were on rural roads, against 59% across Alabama. Also above the Alabama share: pedestrians. Below it: intersections, speeding, unbelted occupants 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 97 crashes.
| I-85 | Alabama | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 34% | 59% | below the Alabama share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.0% | 18% | below the Alabama share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 30% | 33% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| A drinking driver | 21% | 25% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| Speeding | 17% | 27% | below the Alabama share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 4.1% | 5.5% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 38% | 58% | below the Alabama share |
| Hit-and-run | 3.1% | 3.9% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| A motorcycle involved | 3.1% | 10% | below the Alabama share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 22% | 12% | above 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-85 in Alabama
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-85 in Alabama?
- 97 fatal crashes killed 109 people on I-85 in Alabama from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 12 fatal crashes and 14 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-85 in Alabama do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Montgomery County had the most fatal crashes on I-85 from 2015 to 2024: 36, with 38 deaths. Macon County was second with 23.
- How dangerous is I-85 in Alabama per mile?
- 12.1 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 80 miles of road, against 11.1 for all interstates in Alabama. That ranks 2 of 6 interstates in Alabama and 49 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-65
- 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-85 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-85 in Alabama (filed under 3 spellings, such as "I-85", "I-85 S", "i-85"). 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.