How Selective Stats Skew Online Crash Data

Atlanta recently ranked 189 out of 200 cities for driver safety. But taking such a statistic as an indication of overall driver safety is problematic, with the underlying story much more complex than the simple numbers suggest.

This study will look at how reported crash data is often at odds – or skews – official data. We’ll compare some driver data to illustrate how perception often differs from reality: for example, high fatality data doesn’t necessarily mean ‘crashes are getting worse’. Ultimately, while words can paint a dishonest picture, numbers can also push a false narrative.

Busting The Myth That Fewer Crashes Mean Safer Roads

A useful example is when a headline celebrates falling crash totals. But fatalities can still climb when fewer accidents happen. And statistics taken out of context can be misleading.

Georgia Roads: The Complex Details

Distracted driving is a significant national problem and accounted for 12,405 deaths in 2021 alone. According to study data, Georgia drivers:

  • Allow themselves to be distracted by their phones for 1 minute and 50 seconds per journey
  • Suffered over 500 crashes, 250 injuries, and 11 fatalities during the 2024 Memorial Day weekend. 

Yet Georgia also features some of the toughest traffic enforcement measures in America (ranking second in the country), with Georgia drivers facing some of the steepest speeding and drunk-driving penalties in the U.S.

  • Georgia’s most commonly served speeding fine can cost up to $500 
  • 11% of drivers in the state have a speeding ticket on their record, one of the highest rates in the country.

But what about parts of Georgia that feature crash stats that are definitively down, while fatality rates are up? The following examples underscore the fact that the details not only count, but are all-important.

In DeKalb County (2023): 

  • Crashes decreased
  • Fatalities were up 25% (mainly due to a 40% rise in pedestrian deaths). 

So, fewer crashes, but far more people killed. 

Across DeKalb, Clayton, and Fulton: 

  • There were 344 total traffic deaths in 2023
  • Over 80% of crashes occurred within walking distance of a bus stop.

In Atlanta: 

  • There were 71 traffic deaths in 2023, down from 91 in 2022 (but still the third-highest number in a decade)
  • 73% of fatalities occurred in predominantly Black areas, despite the fact that they make up only 54% of census tracts.

The numbers suggest extremely variable road safety standards from one Georgia spot to the next.

According to NHTSA data, there have been 12 consecutive quarterly declines in overall fatalities by Q1 2025: yet such data doesn’t tell the full story, with some metros still seeing rising death rates, despite fewer crashes.

Ultimately, it’s never just a matter of crash and fatality statistics. There are nuances beyond raw data points that often provide a much fuller picture. And it can be very easy to misrepresent roadway safety data to fit a specific narrative. For example, here are the top ten states for road fatalities per 100 million road miles traveled.

States With Hidden Risks

These states rarely top ‘most dangerous’ lists — yet their fatality rates per mile show just how risky their roads can be.

It would be easy to use the above ranking data to suggest that the ten states in question are the most dangerous for U.S. drivers. The rankings are based on one specific metric: if we were to factor in others – overall number of deaths, population figures, road conditions, and enforcement levels – the ranking would not necessarily apply.

And when it comes to measuring crash frequency, it’s important to note that they don’t all happen at the same time, with some time periods far more dangerous than others, such as busy commuter times. Here are the ten metro areas that feature the highest number of rush-hour (7 am to 9 am) crashes, with a Georgia hotspot prominently ranked.

As with other specific factors, commute statistics provide only one aspect of the overall driver safety picture. And all states and metro areas are subject to their own unique set of conditions and circumstances – including Atlanta.

How Atlanta/Other Georgia Areas Compare With Other U.S. Cities

According to one study, Atlanta ranks as the third-worst U.S. city for drivers, with:

  • 3.86 accidents per 1,000 drivers
  • 20.6 motor vehicle deaths per 100,000 residents. 

Atlanta drivers are also: 

  • 67.4% more likely to get into an accident than the national average rate.

Not all Georgia areas fare so badly in the report, with 

  • Columbus (58th) 
  • Augusta (85th) 
  • Macon (89th) 
  • and Savannah (158th) all ranked significantly safer than Atlanta. 

But it’s important to re-emphasize that there are so many different ways to measure areas and decipher statistics. Johns Creek is frequently cited as one of Georgia’s safest driving cities: the same is true of Milton and Peachtree City. Just as words can misrepresent, numbers can oversimplify.

Things To Remember 

  • When it comes to assessing our roads, we need to be careful how we quantify data, and even more careful how we misuse language to falsely mitigate risk. 
  • Even if crash numbers are down, that doesn’t mean there’s less risk: fatality rates can climb even as crash numbers drop. 
  • Media reports that focus on selective measures such as ‘total crashes’ ignore other key mitigating factors like travel speed, road design, timeframe of crashes, and crash severity.
  • Ranking areas by total death counts alone justifies blanket policy, penalizing high-population hubs (California, Texas, Georgia) and masking other key factors like per-capita or per-mile risk.
  • For there to be a fair and accurate representation of crash/fatality data, as much relevant data as is available must form part of an assessment.
  • And readers of crash data should never believe that low crash counts mean safer roads. 

In 2024, Houston, despite suffering fewer crashes, saw a 15% increase in fatalities, the most the city has ever recorded. In Georgia, crashes are down in DeKalb, but fatalities are way up. Traffic deaths in Atlanta are down, but that doesn’t mean the problem is solved, or that the roads are safe: they’re still at their third-highest numbers in a decade. 

And these numbers don’t mean that enforcement is poor: Georgia ranks #2 across the country for strict speeding or drunk-driving penalties, with 11% of state drivers subject to speeding fines. 

Using just one specific, selective type of data will inevitably provide a skewed and inaccurate perspective

The following Associated Press headline can sum up the complexity of the matter. “New cars are supposed to be getting safer. So why are pedestrian and cyclist fatalities on the rise?” Cars that are safer for occupants are not necessarily safer for everyone else, with the contrary often true. 

Ultimately, although headlines may appear to answer big questions, they’re often based on incomplete or skewed information and don’t tell the full story. Beware crash data, unless it covers all the bases.

If you’re injured in a crash in or near Atlanta (as a driver, passenger, or pedestrian), we can help protect you, your family, and your finances. The Millar Law Firm’s car crash attorneys are an award-winning legal team that will explain your rights, offer legal advice, help find ways to cover your medical care expenses and recover lost wages, and secure full compensation for your pain and trauma.

Data Sources

  • HereAtlanta
  • Athens Banner Herald
  • Propel ATL
  • NHTSA
  • World Population Review
  • Nurse One Stop
  • Allstate
  • ReAlpha