ALDOT Statewide TSMO Strategic Plan ALDOT Statewide TSMO Strategic Plan 20190522 | Page 8

In 2016, Alabama had double the national average for traffic fatalities. Alabama had 22.28 traffic fatality
deaths per 100,000 population while there were 11.69 deaths per 100,000 population nationally. Alabama
ranks second highest in the nation traffic fatalities per capita. Roads and highways in Alabama had a
fatality rate of 1.56 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) versus a national average of
1.19 in 2016 (BTS, 2016) (FHWA, 2018) (NHTSA, 2016). This trend is consistent, as shown in Figure 3 below.
Figure 3: Alabama and National Traffic Fatalities per 100 Million VMT (2001 – 2016)
(ADVANCE, 2018) (FHWA, 2018)
Crashes on Alabama roadways resulted in 860 fatalities in 2017—Alabama ranked second highest
nationally for traffic fatalities per capita in 2016. Alabamians have a serious challenge.
3.1.2 Mobility and Reliability
Alabama’s mobility challenges impact freight
movement, commuting workers, the delivery of goods
and services, and the public. Congestion is impacted by
both recurring and non-recurring events. Recurring
congestion accounts for more than half of congestion
nationally and typically occurs during peak travel
periods due to demand exceeding capacity (FHWA,
2017). Non-recurring events account for the remaining
contributors to congestion and include disruptions such
as severe weather, traffic incidents, and work zones.
Nationally, the three main causes of non-recurring
congestion are traffic incidents (25% of total
congestion), work zones (10% of total congestion), and
weather (15% of total congestion) as illustrated in Figure
4 (FHWA, 2017).
Figure 4: National Sources of Congestion
(FHWA, 2017)
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