U.S. roads are dangerous, with traffic fatality data confirming that 49,192 people died on national roads during 2025. Yet there are potential signs that, slowly but surely, they’re becoming safer.

In this study, we’ll consider relevant data to uncover the facts. By looking at fatality figures over a number of years, the role of remote work, how technology is changing vehicle risk, and drunk driving rates, we’ll establish whether or not U.S. roads really are becoming safer.

Let’s start by focusing on some key Atlanta-area crash data.

Is Atlanta Road Safety Improving?

Between 2018 and 2019, in Fulton County, the total number of car accidents reported to law enforcement rose significantly: from 63,431 to 66,057. Then the Covid pandemic struck, emptying roads for significant periods, with ‘normal service’ severely disrupted. This inevitably led to a significant drop in accident reports, with just 45,768 accidents reported during 2020.

But it’s only once we consider successive post-COVID yearly accident figures that we begin to see a true measure of gradually increasing safety on our roads. From 2021 onwards, with roads once again operating at capacity, we can clearly discern a gradual decline in accident figures.

From 58,100 accidents in 2021, Fulton County saw a steady and consistent drop in accidents, the decline gradually continuing to 49,192 accidents in 2025. And the trend is replicated across other, linked datasets (injuries and fatalities), as confirmed by the two following tables.

In both tables above (as with accident rates during the same period), there’s an initial spike in 2021 as the post-COVID era begins. But there’s then a gradual decline in figures across each successive year (with one minor exception: a small rise in injuries between 2024 and 2025).

Fulton County’s 49,192 car accidents in 2025 suggest that Atlanta metro roads are busy. Yet, since 2021, the fatality rate has more than halved: from 171 to 84. If we then factor in a slight injury rise between 2024 and 2025 (from 20,640 in 2024 to 20,713 in 2025), the combined data suggests that crash severity is significantly lower, with fatalities now comprising just 0.2% of crashes.

Of the 49,192 Fulton County crashes in 2025, 20,713 injuries mean that injuries occurred in roughly 42% of all crashes. That said, most reported injuries were minor or complaint injuries, indicating that while crashes are common, the majority do not result in serious trauma.

Here’s a closer breakdown of Fulton County injury severity figures.

Here are the key road safety takeaways from Fulton County during the study period.

• Once relative normality resumed after COVID, crash volume fell every successive year.
• Total crash numbers were down 25% between 2019 and 2025.
• Fatal crashes were down 51% between 2021 and 2025.
• 2025 was the first year to feature fewer than 100 fatal crashes since the pre-COVID era.
• Most crashes resulted in minor injuries, while fatal incidents remained relatively rare.

Additionally, the vast majority of crashes occurred in the county’s largest and busiest city. Here are the full figures for each of Fulton’s cities.

Overall, the leading cause of crashes in Fulton was following too closely behind another car. Generally, driver behavior is the primary contributory factor regarding accidents in Fulton County. Here’s a closer look at specific examples of erroneous driver actions.

Combined, the two main behavior issues (following too closely and improperly changing lanes) account for over 26,000 crashes, over half of all Fulton’s recorded accidents.

Overall, although Atlanta-area figures suggest growing road safety, how does road safety in Georgia compare to other parts of the U.S.?

National Road Crash Fatality Figures

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, during the first half of 2025, traffic fatalities fell by 8.2%.

And National Safety Council data tells us that traffic crashes claimed fewer lives in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period during 2024. An estimated 18,720 people died in traffic crashes between January to June 2025: a 13% drop in fatalities, even as Americans drove a total 0.8% more miles than they had over the same period a year earlier.

In fact, during the first half of 2025, eight states (and the District of Columbia) achieved fatality decreases of 20% or more: the District of Columbia led with a -73.10% reduction, followed by Connecticut (-32.50%), Delaware (-26.60%), Mississippi (-25.70%), Maryland (-23.50%), Kentucky (-21.80%), Nebraska (-20.50%),  and Minnesota (-20%). 

(Contrary to this wide trend, eleven states were subject to percent increases in traffic crash deaths. Here are the five states that saw the highest increases: Hawaii (+0.478%), Kansas (+0.212%), Idaho (+0.186%), Massachusetts (+0.151%), and Wyoming (+0.102%).)

Countrywide, the fatality rate dropped to 1.15 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled: a 13.5% decrease on 2024 and 2023 figures. 

So, according to national data, roads in the United States are increasingly safe. And that might in part be due to falling alcohol consumption rates.

Declining American Drinking Habits

According to an August 2025 Gallup poll, drinking rates are falling at a rapid rate. Here’s a clear illustration of the decline.

• In 2022, 67% of polled Americans reported that they were drinkers.
• By 2023, that percentage had dropped 5% to 62%.
• By 2025, the percentage had fallen a further 8%, to 54%.

And if we look at the road safety consequences of this decline, we can clearly see positive results when we measure drunk driving fatalities between 2022 and 2023.

Declining Drunk Driving Figures (NHTSA data)

• In 2022, 13,458 road fatalities were caused by drunk driving.
• In 2023, that figure had fallen to 12,429 fatalities.
• The differential represents a 7.6% decline over 12 months.

An additional Think Research poll found that a majority of Americans are less interested in alcohol now than they were when they first tried it.

The survey of 2000 adults aged 21+ revealed that 61% of those canvassed have a waning interest in alcohol. This is especially true of Generation Z – the proportion of respondents from this demographic less interested in drinking now than when they began was 63%. In fact, by the age of 23, Gen Zers are already beginning to tire of drinking. Compare this age threshold to the Baby Boomer equivalent: on average, their disinterest didn’t start until they hit 44. (The average across all age groups was 32 years old.)

A switch to a different stimulant might also play a part in the declining interest in alcohol. Nearly a fifth of all respondents (18%) said drinking alcohol is ‘out.’ Meanwhile, the exact same proportion of respondents (18%) feel that THC (cannabis-based) drinks are now ‘in’.

Furthermore, nearly half (48%) of Americans think THC products should be as socially normalized as alcohol-based products (for Gen Z, the figure was 51%; for Millennials, it was 60%). Respondents were also more likely to choose a THC beverage (33%) as opposed to smoking marijuana (28%). Clearly, a cultural shift led by younger generations is afoot, with alcohol seemingly in the process of being replaced by cannabis-based alternatives.

Remote working habits are also a significant issue when we consider evolving road safety. Because so many more people now work from home than just a few years ago, daily traffic patterns have dramatically altered. For example, midday car trips are up 23% compared to 2019 levels, with noon traffic levels often close to the traditional 5 pm peak – which is now down 9%. Additionally, the morning traffic rush is down 12%. So, less traffic on the road at any one time, and more drivers are less compelled by tight ‘clocking in’ time demands.

And whatever time a driver is on the road, the modern car is increasingly likely to be able to offset plenty of road danger.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Mean Safer Roads

According to the IIHS study data, vehicles equipped with the following safety features can prevent crashes by significant margins.

Additional study data suggests that, by 2030, mass-incorporated autonomous vehicle technology could help save countless lives and $234 billion due to accident, injury, and fatality prevention.

The data also suggests that around 8.5 million car accidents could be avoided by self-driving technology and that, by 2050, self-driving cars will save almost 21,700 lives and prevent about 4.22 million accidents every year. Other notable data points include the following.

• 94% of car accidents are due to human error, a factor that can be notably reduced by self-driving cars.
• Human drivers have a crash rate of around 50.5 crashes per million miles; for self-driving cars, the figure is 23 crashes per million miles.
• Human drivers cause 69% of crashes, while for autonomous cars, the rate is 10%.

Another safety boost worth mentioning involves declining danger from crashes involving large trucks, which, despite comprising 5% of vehicles, accounted for 13.4% of road fatalities in 2023. Yet the rate of fatalities due to truck crashes is down, as the following NHTSA data illustrates.

• In 2022, there were 5,936 fatalities due to crashes involving large trucks.
• In 2023, there were significantly fewer: 5,472, an 8% decline from 2022 figures.
• And during the first half of 2024, there were 2,523 fatalities due to crashes involving large trucks, down from 2,561 during the first half of 2023 — a further continual decline.

U.S. Roads: Clearly Safer, And Further Improvements Likely

So, the statistics make it quite clear: our roads are becoming safer.

During the post-COVID era, there’s been a year-on-year fall in crashes, injuries (with one slight exception), and, crucially, fatalities. Total crash numbers were down 25% between 2019 and 2025; fatal crashes were down 51% between 2021 and 2025; and 2025 was the first year to feature fewer than 100 fatal crashes since the pre-COVID era.

And there are numerous reasons for burgeoning safety levels.

Remote work means very different traffic patterns on our roads, with less danger during traditional rush-hour periods, as remote worker habits define a new road activity era.

Declining levels of drinking and drunk driving also play a crucial role, with younger drivers notably disinterested in alcohol and more likely to drive unimpaired.

Atlanta metro roads are still very busy. Yet, since 2021, the fatality rate has more than halved: from 171 to 84

Improving car technology is another key factor. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) enhance driver safety. Features like Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), lane-keeping assist, and stability control play a critical role in accident prevention. And the contemporary car is subject to constantly improving crash management design.

There are also other multiple contributory elements to improving road safety: implementation of better road design and road safety systems; better public safety campaigns targeting the use of seat belts; data-driven enforcement via the use of telematics and tightening surveillance; improving post-crash care; and less of a threat from large trucks.

And there’s the opportunity for other beneficial factors to come into play to further improve road safety. For example, if all U.S. states adopted the strongest applicable graduated driver licensing laws, study data suggests that this move could prevent 9,500 crashes and 500 lost lives every year. Those states that already observe strong measures against the youngest drivers on our roads have enjoyed a 38% reduction in fatal crashes.

Ultimately, there’s room for optimism when it comes to assessing U.S. road safety. While road safety has improved in recent years, there’s much to suggest that the trend will continue.

Whether you have had a car, truck, or motorcycle accident in or near Atlanta, call or contact our Atlanta, Georgia car accident lawyers today to find out what steps to take next, and to discover the potential value of your accident case. Our expert car crash attorneys provide free consultations over the phone, in person, or via email, and will start working on your claim immediately.