State Highway 79 in Alabama: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 60 fatal crashes on State Highway 79 in Alabama killed 64 people, the 17th most of 243 numbered roads in Alabama. In 2024 there were 5 fatal crashes and 5 deaths on the road.
A state highway running through 4 counties of Alabama. All fatal crashes in Alabama.
Deaths on State Highway 79 in Alabama by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | 5 |
| 2023 | 7 | 7 |
| 2022 | 3 | 3 |
| 2021 | 10 | 10 |
| 2020 | 7 | 7 |
| 2019 | 8 | 8 |
| 2018 | 8 | 8 |
| 2017 | 8 | 11 |
| 2016 | 2 | 2 |
| 2015 | 2 | 3 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on State Highway 79 in Alabama: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Jefferson County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 79 from 2015 to 2024: 23, with 23 deaths. Jefferson, Blount and Jackson counties together held 90% of fatal crashes on State Highway 79 in Alabama from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jefferson County | 1 | 23 | 23 |
| 2 | Blount County | 3 | 19 | 22 |
| 3 | Jackson County | 1 | 12 | 12 |
| 4 | Marshall County | 0 | 6 | 7 |
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 State Highway 79 in Alabama
58 fatal crashes on State Highway 79 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 9 am to 10 am; the worst month is August.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 5.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 5.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 8.6 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 5.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 6.9 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.4 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.7 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 5.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan11.7%
- Feb6.7%
- Mar6.7%
- Apr11.7%
- May10.0%
- Jun6.7%
- Jul6.7%
- Aug13.3%
- Sep6.7%
- Oct5.0%
- Nov8.3%
- Dec6.7%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on State Highway 79 in Alabama first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 55%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 28%, a pedestrian in 10%, a cyclist in 3.3%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 33 | 55% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 17 | 28% |
| Pedestrian | 6 | 10% |
| Cyclist | 2 | 3.3% |
| Rollover | 2 | 3.3% |
| Parked vehicle | 0 | 0.0% |
| Other | 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 State Highway 79 in Alabama compare with the state
The largest difference from Alabama: from 2015 to 2024, 39% of occupants killed on State Highway 79 in Alabama were unbelted, against 58% across Alabama. Below the Alabama share: drinking drivers. 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 60 crashes.
| State Highway 79 | Alabama | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 60% | 59% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| At or near an intersection | 22% | 18% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 28% | 33% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| A drinking driver | 6.7% | 25% | below the Alabama share |
| Speeding | 23% | 27% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 1.7% | 5.5% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 39% | 58% | below the Alabama share |
| Hit-and-run | 0.0% | 3.9% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| A motorcycle involved | 5.0% | 10% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 9.4% | 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 State Highway 79 in Alabama
- How many fatal crashes have there been on State Highway 79 in Alabama?
- 60 fatal crashes killed 64 people on State Highway 79 in Alabama from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 5 fatal crashes and 5 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on State Highway 79 in Alabama do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Jefferson County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 79 from 2015 to 2024: 23, with 23 deaths. Blount County was second with 19.
Other roads in Alabama with a page
- I-10
- I-20
- I-22
- I-59
- I-65
- I-85
- State Highway 13
- State Highway 14
- State Highway 157
- State Highway 17
- State Highway 20
- State Highway 21
All fatal crashes in Alabama, with every road ranked.
Where the State Highway 79 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as State Highway 79 in Alabama (filed under 2 spellings, such as "SR-79", "sr-79"). 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.