Fatal Crash Data

I-20 in Alabama: fatal crashes

From 2015 to 2024, 97 fatal crashes on I-20 in Alabama killed 111 people, the 7th most of 243 numbered roads in Alabama. In 2024 there were 8 fatal crashes and 9 deaths on the road.

An interstate running through 5 counties of Alabama. All fatal crashes in Alabama. I-20 in every state.

Deaths on I-20 in Alabama by year

10201620182020202220242021: 172024: 9
YearFatal crashesDeaths
202489
202378
20221517
20211217
20201010
201999
20181115
20171010
201677
201589

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count

Where on I-20 in Alabama: the counties with the most fatal crashes

St. Clair County had the most fatal crashes on I-20 from 2015 to 2024: 33, with 40 deaths. St. Clair, Cleburne and Jefferson counties together held 73% of fatal crashes on I-20 in Alabama from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.

County20242015 to 2024Deaths
1St. Clair County23340
2Cleburne County12023
3Jefferson County11820
4Talladega County31819
5Calhoun County189

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-20 in Alabama

97 fatal crashes on I-20 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 11 pm to midnight; the worst month is October.

Share of fatal crashes on I-20 in Alabama by weekday and time of day, 2015 to 2024, in percent
Midnight to 44 to 8 am8 to noonNoon to 44 to 8 pm8 to midnight
Sun4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash6.2 percent, 6 fatal crashes7.2 percent, 7 fatal crashes2.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes
Mon1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes2.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash
Tue3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes5.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes2.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash
Wed2.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes2.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes
Thu0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash2.1 percent, 2 fatal crashes
Fri1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash7.2 percent, 7 fatal crashes
Sat5.2 percent, 5 fatal crashes1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes3.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes4.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes

By hour

By month

  • Jan7.2%
  • Feb8.2%
  • Mar8.2%
  • Apr10.3%
  • May8.2%
  • Jun3.1%
  • Jul8.2%
  • Aug5.2%
  • Sep9.3%
  • Oct13.4%
  • Nov10.3%
  • Dec8.2%

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-20 in Alabama

11.4 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 85 miles of I-20 in Alabama, against 11.1 for all interstates in Alabama. That ranks 4 of 6 interstates in Alabama and 55 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-20 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 32%, a pedestrian in 11%, a rollover in 6.2%.

First harmful eventFatal crashesShare
Collision with another vehicle3839%
Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch)3132%
Pedestrian1111%
Rollover66.2%
Parked vehicle66.2%
Other55.2%
Cyclist00.0%
Not reported00.0%

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-20 in Alabama compare with the state

The largest difference from Alabama: from 2015 to 2024, 35% of occupants killed on I-20 in Alabama were unbelted, against 58% across Alabama. Also above the Alabama share: unlit roads at night. Below it: intersections, drinking drivers 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-20Alabama
On rural stretches64%59%about the same as the Alabama share
At or near an intersection0.0%18%below the Alabama share
In the dark, road unlit49%33%above the Alabama share
A drinking driver16%25%below the Alabama share
Speeding31%27%about the same as the Alabama share
A distracted driver (as recorded)4.1%5.5%about the same as the Alabama share
Occupants killed unbelted35%58%below the Alabama share
Hit-and-run6.2%3.9%about the same as the Alabama share
A motorcycle involved4.1%10%below the Alabama share
Pedestrians among the dead11%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-20 in Alabama

How many fatal crashes have there been on I-20 in Alabama?
97 fatal crashes killed 111 people on I-20 in Alabama from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 8 fatal crashes and 9 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
Where on I-20 in Alabama do the most fatal crashes happen?
St. Clair County had the most fatal crashes on I-20 from 2015 to 2024: 33, with 40 deaths. Cleburne County was second with 20.
How dangerous is I-20 in Alabama per mile?
11.4 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 85 miles of road, against 11.1 for all interstates in Alabama. That ranks 4 of 6 interstates in Alabama and 55 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

All fatal crashes in Alabama, with every road ranked.

Where the I-20 numbers come from

Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-20 in Alabama (filed under 2 spellings, such as "I-20", "I-20 I-59"). 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.