Fatal crash profile · State
Traffic deaths in Kentucky in 2023
State in United States
- Deaths, 2023
- 814
- Fatal crashes
- 767
- Population
- 4.5M
In 2023, 814 people died in 767 fatal crashes in Kentucky, about 2 a day. That was 9.4% more than in 2022 (744) and the most since 2016. The death rate was 17.9 per 100,000 residents, compared with 12.2 in the United States. Kentucky had the 18th most traffic deaths of the 51 states and DC and the 9th-highest death rate. Pedestrians accounted for 15% of deaths, and 14% of fatal crashes were speeding-related.
Deaths
Traffic deaths
Road users
Who died
15%
of deaths were pedestrians
- About 85 percent of the share in the United States: 18%
| Category | Deaths |
|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants and others | 571 |
| Pedestrians | 121 |
| Motorcyclists | 106 |
| Cyclists | 16 |
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| Type | Deaths | Share in Kentucky | Share in the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pedestrians | 121 | 15% | 18% |
| Motorcyclists | 106 | 13% | 16% |
| Cyclists | 16 | 2% | 3% |
| Alcohol-impaired driving crashes | 192 | 24% | 30% |
| Speeding-related crashes | 119 | 15% | 29% |
Alcohol-impaired and speeding-related count everyone killed in those crashes, so a death can appear in more than one row.
Crash factors
Speeding, alcohol, night and weekend crashes
14%
of fatal crashes were speeding-related
- About half the share in the United States: 28%
25%
of fatal crashes involved a drinking driver
- About the same as the share in the United States: 26%
| Category | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding-related | 25.0% | 25.6% |
| Alcohol-involved | 14.3% | 28.2% |
| At night | 46.9% | 54.1% |
| At weekends | 30.0% | 33.5% |
Share of fatal crashes. Alcohol-involved means a police-reported drinking driver.
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Timing
When crashes happen
47%
of fatal crashes happened at night
- About 85 percent of the share in the United States: 54%
30%
of fatal crashes happened at weekends
- About 90 percent of the share in the United States: 34%
| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| 12am | 20 |
| 1am | 22 |
| 2am | 28 |
| 3am | 18 |
| 4am | 14 |
| 5am | 23 |
| 6am | 24 |
| 7am | 23 |
| 8am | 16 |
| 9am | 34 |
| 10am | 15 |
| 11am | 25 |
| 12pm | 35 |
| 1pm | 30 |
| 2pm | 42 |
| 3pm | 49 |
| 4pm | 52 |
| 5pm | 61 |
| 6pm | 45 |
| 7pm | 32 |
| 8pm | 42 |
| 9pm | 43 |
| 10pm | 36 |
| 11pm | 37 |
All crashes 2023.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Sun | 119 |
| Mon | 103 |
| Tue | 95 |
| Wed | 92 |
| Thu | 112 |
| Fri | 135 |
| Sat | 111 |
All crashes 2023.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Jan | 57 |
| Feb | 48 |
| Mar | 44 |
| Apr | 65 |
| May | 66 |
| Jun | 64 |
| Jul | 64 |
| Aug | 89 |
| Sep | 71 |
| Oct | 65 |
| Nov | 69 |
| Dec | 65 |
All crashes 2023.
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Conditions
Weather and light
| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Clear | 553 |
| Cloudy | 137 |
| Rain | 57 |
| Fog, Smog, Smoke | 9 |
| Snow | 2 |
| Severe Crosswinds | 2 |
All crashes 2023. Crashes where conditions were not reported are left out.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Daylight | 402 |
| Dark - Not Lighted | 206 |
| Dark - Lighted | 105 |
| Dark - Unknown Lighting | 20 |
| Dusk | 17 |
| Dawn | 16 |
All crashes 2023. Crashes where conditions were not reported are left out.
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Roads and vehicles
Where and what, 2023
Roads with the most fatal crashes
- US-6013
- I-6511
- US-2310
- I-2649
- I-759
- US-31 DIXIE HWY9
- SR-928
- US-278
- US-428
- US-1277
Road names as recorded in police reports.
| Category | Vehicles |
|---|---|
| Cars | 404 |
| SUVs | 231 |
| Pickup trucks | 219 |
| Medium and heavy trucks | 114 |
| Motorcycles | 110 |
| Vans | 35 |
| Other vehicles | 34 |
| Buses | 4 |
| Other light trucks | 3 |
All crashes 2023.
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Vehicles most often involved
- Chevrolet Silverado39
- Ford F-15031
- Dodge Ram27
- Toyota Camry27
- Freightliner Cascadia19
- Ford Escape17
- Ford Focus17
- GMC Sierra17
- Nissan Altima17
- Ford Ranger16
Reflects how common a vehicle is as well as crash involvement; not a safety rating.
Crashes
Fatal crashes
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Fatal crashes in 2023. Crashes without reported coordinates are not shown.
Filter crashes
| Date | Location | Road | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 23, 2023 | Harold, Floyd County | SR-680 | 2 |
| Jul 22, 2023 | Webster County | CR-WRIGHTSBURG RD | 2 |
| Jul 22, 2023 | Elkhorn City, Pike County | US-460 | 1 |
| Jul 21, 2023 | Washington County | SR-55 LEBANON RD | 1 |
| Jul 21, 2023 | Louisville, Jefferson County | SR-1531 ROUTT RD | 1 |
| Jul 21, 2023 | Lexington-Fayette, Fayette County | US-25 RICHMOND RD | 1 |
| Jul 21, 2023 | Caldwell County | SR-139 CADIZ RD | 1 |
| Jul 21, 2023 | Louisville, Jefferson County | FRANKFORT AVE | 1 |
| Jul 20, 2023 | Corbin, Knox County | SR-3041 | 1 |
| Jul 19, 2023 | Shepherdsville, Bullitt County | SR-44 E 4TH STREET | 1 |
| Jul 18, 2023 | McCracken County | SR-999 KREBS STATION RD | 1 |
| Jul 17, 2023 | Middletown, Jefferson County | US-60 SHELBYVILLE RD | 1 |
| Jul 17, 2023 | Jackson County | SR-290 | 1 |
| Jul 16, 2023 | Clay County | CR-UPPER RADER RD | 1 |
| Jul 16, 2023 | Lexington-Fayette, Fayette County | SR-922 NEWTOWN PIKE | 1 |
| Jul 16, 2023 | Silerville, McCreary County | SR-1470 MT PLEASANT RD | 1 |
| Jul 16, 2023 | Florence, Boone County | US-42 | 1 |
| Jul 16, 2023 | Boone County | I-75 | 1 |
| Jul 15, 2023 | Owsley County | SR-30 | 1 |
| Jul 14, 2023 | Fort Thomas, Campbell County | I-471 N | 1 |
| Jul 14, 2023 | Jeffersontown, Jefferson County | SR-155 TAYLORSVILLE RD | 1 |
| Jul 14, 2023 | Franklin County | SR-1665 EVERGREEN RD | 1 |
| Jul 14, 2023 | Grant County | CR-RAGTOWN RD | 1 |
| Jul 13, 2023 | Jackson County | CR-EBERLE RD | 1 |
| Jul 13, 2023 | Elizabethtown, Hardin County | N MAIN ST | 1 |
Explore
Nearby and related
Counties in Kentucky in 2023
Rankings
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Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2023. A fatal crash is one in which at least one person died within 30 days. Population: US Census Bureau estimates.