US 78 in Georgia: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 73 fatal crashes on US 78 in Georgia killed 76 people, the 27th most of 476 numbered roads in Georgia. In 2024 there were 3 fatal crashes and 3 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 15 counties of Georgia. All fatal crashes in Georgia.
Deaths on US 78 in Georgia by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 | 3 |
| 2023 | 19 | 20 |
| 2022 | 8 | 8 |
| 2021 | 3 | 3 |
| 2020 | 11 | 11 |
| 2019 | 2 | 2 |
| 2018 | 13 | 15 |
| 2017 | 5 | 5 |
| 2016 | 6 | 6 |
| 2015 | 3 | 3 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 78 in Georgia: the counties with the most fatal crashes
DeKalb County had the most fatal crashes on US 78 from 2015 to 2024: 15, with 16 deaths. DeKalb, Clarke and Richmond counties together held 48% of fatal crashes on US 78 in Georgia from 2015 to 2024; the 6 listed held 74%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DeKalb County | 0 | 15 | 16 |
| 2 | Clarke County | 1 | 11 | 11 |
| 3 | Richmond County | 0 | 9 | 9 |
| 4 | Gwinnett County | 2 | 7 | 8 |
| 5 | Fulton County | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| 6 | Oglethorpe County | 0 | 5 | 5 |
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 US 78 in Georgia
73 fatal crashes on US 78 in Georgia 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 pm to 10 pm; 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 | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Tue | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 5.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 8.2 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 6.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan2.7%
- Feb6.8%
- Mar9.6%
- Apr5.5%
- May6.8%
- Jun6.8%
- Jul11.0%
- Aug13.7%
- Sep6.8%
- Oct4.1%
- Nov12.3%
- Dec13.7%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on US 78 in Georgia first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 49%; a pedestrian in 25%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 18%, a rollover in 4.1%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 36 | 49% |
| Pedestrian | 18 | 25% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 13 | 18% |
| Rollover | 3 | 4.1% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 1.4% |
| Parked vehicle | 1 | 1.4% |
| Other | 1 | 1.4% |
| 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 US 78 in Georgia compare with the state
The largest difference from Georgia: from 2015 to 2024, 18% of fatal crashes on US 78 in Georgia were on rural roads, against 36% across Georgia. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Georgia. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 73 crashes.
| US 78 | Georgia | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 18% | 36% | below the Georgia share |
| At or near an intersection | 22% | 24% | about the same as the Georgia share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 43% | 37% | about the same as the Georgia share |
| A drinking driver | 19% | 20% | about the same as the Georgia share |
| Speeding | 16% | 19% | about the same as the Georgia share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 1.4% | 4.2% | about the same as the Georgia share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 44% | 49% | about the same as the Georgia share |
| Hit-and-run | 4.1% | 5.3% | about the same as the Georgia share |
| A motorcycle involved | 15% | 12% | about the same as the Georgia share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 25% | 17% | about the same as the Georgia 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 US 78 in Georgia
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 78 in Georgia?
- 73 fatal crashes killed 76 people on US 78 in Georgia from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 3 fatal crashes and 3 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 78 in Georgia do the most fatal crashes happen?
- DeKalb County had the most fatal crashes on US 78 from 2015 to 2024: 15, with 16 deaths. Clarke County was second with 11.
Other roads in Georgia with a page
- I-16
- I-20
- I-285
- I-75
- I-85
- I-95
- State Highway 1
- State Highway 10
- State Highway 11
- State Highway 124
- State Highway 136
- State Highway 138
All fatal crashes in Georgia, with every road ranked.
Where the US 78 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 78 in Georgia (filed under 40 spellings, such as "US-78", "US-78 / ATLANTA HWY", "US-78 / BROAD ST", "US-78 / GORDON HWY"). 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.