Fatal Car Accident Statistics
Fatal Car Accident Cases
Key Takeaways
- The Kentucky State Police Traffic Collision Facts 2023 report documented 12,618 hit-and-run collisions statewide. Of those, 45 were fatal, and the 45 people killed included 17 pedestrians and 1 pedalcyclist.
- NHTSA found Kentucky had the largest increase in traffic fatalities of any state in 2023, 70 more deaths than in 2022, and Vision Zero Louisville counts 135 people killed on Jefferson County public roads that year.
- Kentucky State Police attribute 177 of the state’s 814 traffic deaths in 2023 to drivers under the influence of alcohol. Under KRS 411.130, damages may be recovered for a death caused by the negligence or wrongful act of another.
Kentucky Statewide Fatal Crash Data
Kentucky State Police counted 814 people killed in 767 fatal traffic collisions on Kentucky roads in 2023, according to the Traffic Collision Facts 2023 report. In the same year, NHTSA found that Kentucky had the largest increase in traffic fatalities of any state, 70 more deaths than in 2022.
Hit-and-Run Crashes in Kentucky
Hit-and-run crashes made up 12,618 of Kentucky’s reported collisions in 2023, according to Kentucky State Police. Of those, 45 were fatal and 995 caused injuries. The 45 people killed included 17 pedestrians and 1 pedalcyclist.
Louisville Fatal Crash Statistics
Louisville recorded 135 people killed in crashes on Jefferson County public roads in 2023, 109 on surface streets and 26 on expressways and interstates, according to the Vision Zero Louisville 2024 Annual Report. The same report counts 114 deaths in 2024, including 39 pedestrians, the highest pedestrian figure in at least ten years. Vision Zero Louisville is the city’s program for reducing traffic deaths and serious injuries.
National Pedestrian Fatality Data for 2023
NHTSA counted 7,314 pedestrians killed nationwide in 2023, one pedestrian every 72 minutes, in 2023 Traffic Safety Facts: Pedestrians. Hit-and-run crashes accounted for 25% of pedestrian deaths in 2024, according to IIHS fatality statistics.
Leading Causes of Fatal Crashes in Kentucky
The cause of a fatal crash determines whether another party is legally liable for the death.
- 1
Alcohol Impairment
Kentucky State Police attribute 177 of the 814 traffic deaths in 2023, about 21.7%, to drivers under the influence of alcohol. When a drunk driver kills someone, the criminal DUI case and the family’s civil wrongful death claim are separate proceedings.
- 2
Speeding and Aggressive Driving
About 33% of Kentucky’s 707 highway deaths in 2024 involved speeding or aggressive drivers, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Kentucky State Police.
- 3
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving was involved in 22% of Kentucky’s highway deaths in 2024, according to the same state report. Nationally, NHTSA counted 3,275 people killed in distraction-affected crashes in 2023.
- 4
Seat Belt Non-Use
47% of vehicle occupants killed on Kentucky highways in 2024 were not wearing a seat belt, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Office of Highway Safety and Kentucky State Police.
- 5
Pedestrian Vulnerability
Pedestrian collisions were 0.93% of Kentucky’s reported collisions in 2023 but accounted for 15.36% of traffic deaths, according to the Kentucky State Police Traffic Collision Facts 2023 report.
Wrongful Death Claims After a Fatal Crash
Under KRS 411.130, when a death results from the negligence or wrongful act of another, damages may be recovered from the person who caused it, and punitive damages may be recovered if the act was willful or the negligence gross. The personal representative of the person who died brings the wrongful death claim.
Related pages cover wrongful death car accident attorneys, semi-truck accident lawyers, and underinsured motorist claims in Kentucky.
Lost a Family Member in a Kentucky Crash?
Sam Aguiar Injury Lawyers handles fatal crash and wrongful death claims for Kentucky families on these terms:
- Dedicated three-person team: a top-rated attorney, an experienced case manager, and a skilled legal assistant.
- Bigger Share Guarantee®: Clients always walk away with more money than the firm after medical bills, liens, and case expenses are paid. If the client’s share would ever be less than the legal fee, the firm cuts its fee.
- Flat contingency fee that never increases if your case goes to trial.
- $0 Out-Of-Pocket Forever.
A wrongful death claim runs through the personal representative, and hit-and-run and drunk driving deaths can add an uninsured motorist policy and a separate criminal case to the same claim. Ask for a free case review about your family’s loss at 502-888-8888.
Why Clients Choose Sam Aguiar
Ready to Take Action on Your Case?
After a serious injury, medical bills pile up while the insurance company looks for ways to pay you less. Most law firms take their cut first and leave you with whatever is left. Sam Aguiar Injury Lawyers does things differently. With our exclusive Bigger Share Guarantee®, you always get more. Every client gets a dedicated three-person team: an attorney, a case manager, and a legal assistant. We never raise our fee rate if we have to go to court, and you pay $0 Out-Of-Pocket Forever.
Frequently Asked Questions
1What were Kentucky’s leading causes of fatal crashes?+
Kentucky State Police attribute 177 of the 814 traffic deaths in 2023 to drivers under the influence of alcohol. In 2024, about 33% of the state’s highway deaths involved speeding or aggressive drivers and 22% involved driver distraction, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Kentucky State Police.
2How many hit-and-run crashes happen in Kentucky?+
Kentucky State Police documented 12,618 hit-and-run collisions in 2023, of which 45 were fatal and 995 caused injuries, according to the Kentucky State Police Traffic Collision Facts 2023 report. The 45 people killed included 17 pedestrians and 1 pedalcyclist.
3How many people killed in Kentucky crashes were not wearing seat belts?+
47% of vehicle occupants killed on Kentucky highways in 2024 were not wearing a seat belt, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Kentucky State Police.
4Are pedestrians disproportionately killed in fatal crashes?+
Yes. Pedestrian collisions were 0.93% of Kentucky’s reported collisions in 2023 but 15.36% of traffic deaths, according to Kentucky State Police. Nationally, NHTSA’s 2023 Traffic Safety Facts counted 7,314 pedestrians killed, roughly one every 72 minutes.
5Does a wrongful death claim depend on a drunk driving conviction?+
No. The criminal DUI case and the civil wrongful death claim are separate proceedings, and KRS 411.130 allows damages whenever a death results from another person’s negligence or wrongful act, with punitive damages available for willful acts or gross negligence.
6Do hit-and-run wrongful death claims have their own notice requirements?+
They can. When a hit-and-run death involves an uninsured or unidentified driver, the claim often runs through an uninsured motorist policy, and the policy’s own notice terms need review as soon as possible.