Kentucky Car Accident Statistics

Not all Kentucky car accident statistics are positive, but there has been some progress in several areas. Much of the progress may be the result of stiff penalties and more safety features, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that drivers are safer or making better choices. Fatalities are down, but the risk of getting into a car accident is still significant, and the risk is highest when you least expect it to be.

Fatalities in Kentucky

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 672 fatalities as the result of car accidents in 2014. This is a significant decrease from the 985 fatalities in 2005, but it’s still too high. One of the most disturbing parts is that many of the fatalities could have been prevented, even if the accidents themselves couldn’t have been. Of the 672 fatalities, 285 of them involved people who were not restrained by seat belts. In 2005, over half of the fatalities involved people who were not wearing seat belts, so the numbers are looking better, but not good enough.

Cost of Accidents in Louisville

Louisville is the hub of Kentucky. Its location means that many highways and interstates run through it in order to deliver goods to every single part of the United States. It should come as no surprise then, that the Accident Data Center declares Louisville car accidents to be the most costly in terms of fatalities, injuries, and financial loss. In fact, while other numbers are decreasing in Kentucky, the fatality rate from car accidents is going up. In 2013, there were 79 fatal accidents, up 21 accidents from 2012. Further, 132 cars were involved in those accidents in 2013, while 106 were involved in the ones in 2012. In fact, virtually every accident statistic in Louisville has gone up since 2012.

Highest Risk of Accidents

Several components need to be considered when looking at the specifics of high risk for car accidents. Age, time of year, even the time of day should be considered. These facts are important because they aren’t often expected.

In 2014, the Kentucky State Police reported 76,901 collisions. As many as 70% of those collisions occurred during the daylight hours though most people assume that the majority of accidents happen after dark. Fridays are the days with the highest risk, with 22,993 accidents happening on a Friday. Although many might assume that the month with the highest rate of accidents would either be an early summer month when the new drivers are all out of school or sometime in the depths of winter when the roads are most hazardous. Surprisingly, 13,000 collisions happened in October, the most in any month of 2014.

When it comes to Kentucky car accident statistics, some of the numbers are staggering but being aware of these statistics may help drivers make better decisions. For example, you might not want to be on the roads during the daylight hours on a Friday in October. Call Harville Law Offices immediately at (502) 245-2333 or contact us if you have been in a car accident in the Louisville area.