Car accident statistics for Jefferson County, Kentucky (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Jefferson County by year

Car accident deaths rose from 102 in 2020 to 107 in 2021, then reached 116 in 2022 and 122 in 2023. The count fell to 103 in 2024. The highest year was 2023, while the lowest was 2020. Comparing the endpoints, the 2024 count was 1 death higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths were 124 in 2020, 124 in 2021, 129 in 2022, 134 in 2023 and 113 in 2024. The car accident share increased each year: 82.3%, 86.3%, 89.9%, 91.0% and 91.2%, respectively. Although car accident deaths fell in 2024, their share of all traffic deaths reached its highest value in the reporting period.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Deaths within 30 days in crashes on public roads. 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised.

Who died in Jefferson County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 313 deaths, or 56.9% of car accident deaths in Jefferson County from 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 75 deaths, or 13.6%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 162 deaths, or 29.5%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Each category counts deaths in fatal crashes involving a passenger vehicle. The categories distinguish the people counted within those selected crashes; they do not restrict the count to people in passenger vehicles. Classification follows the FARS person and vehicle groupings.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Angle (side impact) collisions accounted for 134 car accident deaths, or 24.4%. Head-on collisions recorded 48 deaths, or 8.7%; Rear-end recorded 40, or 7.3%; and Sideswipe recorded 22, or 4.0%. Other accounted for 6 deaths, or 1.1%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 300 deaths, or 54.5%. This describes the first harmful event, such as striking a cyclist, a parked vehicle or a fixed object, or a rollover, rather than a collision between motor vehicles in transport. A motor vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Nighttime, defined as 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 374 car accident deaths, or 68.0%. Daytime, from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 176 deaths, or 32.0%. Nighttime had the larger count during 2020 through 2024.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land-use classification recorded 519 deaths as Urban, or 94.4%, and 30 as Rural, or 5.5%. Unknown accounted for 1 death, or 0.2%. Separately, car accident deaths in crashes that also involved a large truck numbered 40, representing 7.3% of the passenger-vehicle-involved death count. That truck figure counts deaths, not crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Kentucky and the United States

Jefferson County's car accident death rate was 14.0 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. Kentucky's rate was 14.6, and the United States rate was 10.5. The county rate was lower than the state rate and higher than the national rate. No rates for listed neighboring counties were supplied for comparison.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

These rates divide deaths during the reporting period by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates, then multiply by 100,000. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. Jefferson County's 2024 population estimate of 794,166 is a separate figure, rather than the denominator used to calculate its average annual rate.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates, so they show deaths per 100,000 residents per year. They do not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.

Recorded characteristics of all fatal crashes

Recorded characteristics cover all fatal crashes in Jefferson County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accidents. Shares use all traffic deaths: Speeding-related, 155 deaths (24.8%); Roadway departure, 222 (35.6%); At an intersection, 229 (36.7%); Pedestrian involved, 171 (27.4%); Motorcycle involved, 106 (17.0%); Hit-and-run, 109 (17.5%); Driver distraction reported, 55 (8.8%); and In a work zone, 10 (1.6%).^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can have several recorded characteristics, so rows overlap and their percentages are not additive. These entries describe recorded characteristics, not findings of fault or cause. The figures attached to each characteristic count deaths, not the number of crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can carry several characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These are recorded characteristics, not findings of fault.

About these figures

FARS is a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes on trafficways customarily open to the public, with a death within 30 days. Counts follow crash location, not residency. For a reader searching for a car accident lawyer, that location rule still defines these counts.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files; 2024 uses the revisable Annual Report File. Rates divide deaths by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates, Vintage 2025, and multiply by 100,000. The July 1, 2024 estimate is separate from that denominator. Rates do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. FARS excludes nonfatal crashes and injuries.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Kentucky car accident statistics (2020-2024)

On related publications

• Truck accident statistics for Jefferson County, Kentucky (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)