US 278 in Alabama: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 50 fatal crashes on US 278 in Alabama killed 56 people, the 24th most of 243 numbered roads in Alabama. In 2024 there were 7 fatal crashes and 9 deaths on the road.
A US route running through 9 counties of Alabama. All fatal crashes in Alabama.
Deaths on US 278 in Alabama by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7 | 9 |
| 2023 | 9 | 10 |
| 2022 | 8 | 8 |
| 2021 | 11 | 12 |
| 2020 | 7 | 8 |
| 2019 | 8 | 9 |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 278 in Alabama: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Cullman County had the most fatal crashes on US 278 from 2015 to 2024: 15, with 16 deaths. Cullman, Etowah and Winston counties together held 56% of fatal crashes on US 278 in Alabama from 2015 to 2024; the 6 listed held 88%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cullman County | 2 | 15 | 16 |
| 2 | Etowah County | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| 3 | Winston County | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| 4 | Calhoun County | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| 5 | Marion County | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| 6 | Blount County | 1 | 5 | 6 |
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 278 in Alabama
50 fatal crashes on US 278 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 2 pm to 3 pm; the worst month is February.
| 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 | 4.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 6.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 8.0 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Sat | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan8.0%
- Feb14.0%
- Mar8.0%
- Apr10.0%
- May6.0%
- Jun10.0%
- Jul6.0%
- Aug4.0%
- Sep6.0%
- Oct12.0%
- Nov6.0%
- Dec10.0%
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 278 in Alabama first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 54%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 32%, a pedestrian in 6.0%, a rollover in 4.0%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 27 | 54% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 16 | 32% |
| Pedestrian | 3 | 6.0% |
| Rollover | 2 | 4.0% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 2.0% |
| Other | 1 | 2.0% |
| Parked vehicle | 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 US 278 in Alabama compare with the state
The largest difference from Alabama: from 2015 to 2024, 78% of fatal crashes on US 278 in Alabama were on rural roads, against 59% across Alabama. Also above the Alabama share: distracted drivers. Below it: 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 50 crashes.
| US 278 | Alabama | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 78% | 59% | above the Alabama share |
| At or near an intersection | 18% | 18% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 22% | 33% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| A drinking driver | 12% | 25% | below the Alabama share |
| Speeding | 18% | 27% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 12% | 5.5% | above the Alabama share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 50% | 58% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| Hit-and-run | 0.0% | 3.9% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| A motorcycle involved | 6.0% | 10% | about the same as the Alabama share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 7.1% | 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 US 278 in Alabama
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 278 in Alabama?
- 50 fatal crashes killed 56 people on US 278 in Alabama from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 7 fatal crashes and 9 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 278 in Alabama do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Cullman County had the most fatal crashes on US 278 from 2015 to 2024: 15, with 16 deaths. Etowah County was second with 7.
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 US 278 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 278 in Alabama (filed under 5 spellings, such as "US-278 E SR-74", "US-278 SR-118", "US-278 SR-69", "US-278 SR-74"). 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.