Kentucky - Fatal Car Crash Statistics
The number of fatal car accidents in Kentucky is of great concern to citizens, police, and others. In 2017 so far there have been 380 reported deaths on the highways. This number is down from 2016. For the same period last year, the total deaths stood at 410. However, the deaths are higher than other years including 2015 (365), 2014 (352) and 2013 (349) during the same period. These statistics are updated by the Kentucky State Police.
Current information from 2017 provides some details about the fatal accidents that have occurred thus far. Of the 380 deaths, 304 were in a motor vehicle, 31 on motorcycles, 3 on ATVs, 3 bicyclists, 1 scooter and 38 pedestrians.
Fatal accidents in 2017 by age:
Age 0-15 = 14
16-19 = 29
20-29 = 76
30 –39 = 64
40 – 49 = 45
50 – 59 = 70
60 – 69 = 34
Over 70 = 44
Unknown = 3
Reviewing the age data the age groups seem to be somewhat equal in their involvement in fatal accidents.
The state keeps track of how many days go by without a fatal car crash. Currently, there have been 43 death-free days. However, these number change regularly as the website is updated.
Further Data
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) provides data about fatal crashes collected in all 50 states and DC through the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). The latest report provided is for the year 2015. There is quite a bit of information that can be obtained by reviewing the report. Importantly, the statistics allow for easy comparison of data between states.
Kentucky reported 694 deadly crashes in 2015. This number represents 17.2 deaths per 100,000 people. This is one of the highest numbers in the country. For comparison, the national average is 10.9. The report also provides information based on the number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT). The national average is 1.13 deaths per 100,000 VMT. The state has a rate that is much higher than many states at 1.56.
Additional Information
In 2015, 394 accidents or 52% were the results of single-vehicle accidents. 376 or 48% were caused by multiple vehicle crashes. Not surprisingly, only 22% of crashes occurred in cities while 78% were in rural locations. According to the report, the state has an 87% seatbelt use, and 55% of those fatally injured were unrestrained.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Kentucky Office of Highway Safety has programs in place to reduce the number of crashes and highway deaths. The current campaign is called “One Text Could Wreck It All.” According to the data from 2016, there were 60,000 accidents where driver distraction was a factor. That accounts for 23% of fatal crashes in Kentucky in 2016. The initiative is designed to provide drivers with information about distracted driving and to eliminate texting while behind the wheel.