COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Shelby County: larger FARS fatality book
Shelby County (AL) holds a larger FARS book (178, #371 of 3,137) with 21 latest-year deaths.
- 178
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 21
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 9.0
- Per 100k Residents
- Well below average
- Stable
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Shelby County ranks #371 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (178 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Shelby County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Shelby County carries a top-third fatality book (178 across 2016-2023, #371 of 3,137) at 9.0/100k.
- #1,874 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #371 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #57 of 61
- in AL by rate
- Stable
- fatality trend
NHTSA FARS milepost
Milepost SHELBY-117 · Shelby 9.0/100k · #1,874 of 2,328
Shelby County · 9.0/100k · stable
- NHTSA 9.0/100k
- MILE #1,874 of 2,328
- POST 178 book
- BAND Stable
- VOL 168 crash
- AVG -65.7% vs AL
Stamps derive from this county's NHTSA FARS row (per-100k or book, corpus rank, trend, nationwide peer NAME, vs-state gap), not a trip-risk forecast. PlainRoadSafety is informational only. See our disclaimer. Verify with NHTSA FARS → · Read with methodology → · Understanding road fatality data → · Alabama state profile →
How does Shelby County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Shelby County is 66% safer than the comparison
2023 road deaths from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System over population from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2023). Rates shown for counties with 10,000+ residents and a 2023 FARS record.
Among the 15 rated counties in Alabama, Shelby County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 26.3 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Shelby County's rate and the state average is 17.3 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Crenshaw County, at 38.2 per 100,000 (a difference of 29.2). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Conecuh County (71.6), Winston County (55.1), Marengo County (53.5), Chambers County (52.8), Dallas County (49.8), Choctaw County (49.0), Coosa County (48.7), Cleburne County (44.8), Clarke County (44.8), Barbour County (44.7), Butler County (43.5), Cherokee County (39.0), Lawrence County (38.8), Crenshaw County (38.2).
Shelby County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
9 Among the safer counties a lower per-capita rate than 80% of 2,328 rated counties
rated U.S. counties, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more rated counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NHTSA FARS over U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · 2026-09-03
More road safety data related to Shelby County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Shelby County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Alabama statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for AL
- State fatality changesYear-over-year state trends
- Browse all U.S. countiesAlphabetical county index
- All state profiles51 state dashboards
- State vs U.S. safety comparisonRoute-level lookup tool
- National statistics downloadFARS CSV + findings
- How to read FARS fatality dataMethodology primer
- Per-mile vs per-capita road riskRate denominator explained
- Counties starting with SLetter index including AL counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Shelby County, Alabama?
Shelby County recorded 178 total traffic fatalities across 168 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 21 fatalities. The county averages approximately 19.8 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Shelby County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (168 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Shelby County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Alabama may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Shelby County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Shelby County is stable. Fatality counts have remained relatively consistent over the data period.
What is the fatality rate per capita in Shelby County?
Shelby County has a fatality rate of 9.0 per 100,000 residents, which leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Shelby County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Shelby County ranks #1,874 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #57 of 61 rated counties in AL, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Shelby County compare to the rest of Alabama?
Shelby County's per-capita rate of 9.0 per 100,000 residents is below the Alabama county average of 26.3. Visit the Alabama state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Shelby County come from?
All road fatality data comes from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), a census of fatal motor vehicle crashes on public roads in the United States. FARS data covers the period 2016-2023 and includes all crashes resulting in at least one fatality within 30 days.