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Breckinridge County

Residents 21,221Deaths 2024 4Deaths 2015–2024 54Latest data year 2024

FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024. Figures are aggregates from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System; no individual crash is identified.

In 2024, the latest year in FARS, Breckinridge County (Kentucky) had 4 fatal crashes with 4 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 49 fatal crashes and 54 deaths.

With 21,221 residents, that is 26.3 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 54% higher than the Kentucky rate of 17.1 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 7% from 58 in 2005–2014 to 54 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 24.5% against 25.3% for Kentucky.

41% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Friday was the most common day (20%).

4deaths in 20244 fatal crashes
35deaths, 2020–202454 over ten years
26.3per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 18.8
+54%vs Kentucky ratestate 17.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0612197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 4 deaths1976: 5 deaths1977: 12 deaths1978: 0 deaths1979: 11 deaths1980: 6 deaths1981: 3 deaths1982: 3 deaths1983: 4 deaths1984: 1–2 deaths1985: 3 deaths1986: 5 deaths1987: 6 deaths1988: 8 deaths1989: 3 deaths1990: 1–2 deaths1991: 7 deaths1992: 3 deaths1993: 8 deaths1994: 6 deaths1995: 8 deaths1996: 4 deaths1997: 5 deaths1998: 3 deaths1999: 7 deaths2000: 3 deaths2001: 1–2 deaths2002: 3 deaths2003: 4 deaths2004: 4 deaths2005: 8 deaths2006: 5 deaths2007: 3 deaths2008: 8 deaths2009: 5 deaths2010: 9 deaths2011: 3 deaths2012: 3 deaths2013: 7 deaths2014: 7 deaths2015: 4 deaths2016: 4 deaths2017: 7 deaths2018: 1–2 deaths2019: 3 deaths2020: 5 deaths2021: 6 deaths2022: 9 deaths2023: 11 deaths2024: 4 deaths
People killed in crashes in Breckinridge County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 4 deaths.

Ten-year total down 7% (58 in 2005–2014, 54 in 2015–2024). The shaded band is the ten-year window used for rates and shares. County codes are matched to today's Census county list; a few historic code changes are merged.

Compared with Kentucky and the nation

MeasureBreckinridgeKentuckyUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202426.317.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202418.815.411.5
Deaths, 2015–2024547,684389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024497,075358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-7%-3%+7%
Crashes on rural roads100%66%43%

Rates divide deaths by Census Bureau population estimates for each year (residents, not road users; through traffic on major routes raises the rate of small counties). Population 21,221 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking24.5%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver14.3%
Pedestriansshare of people killed7.4%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed9.3%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used66.7%
In darknesscrashes after dark28.6%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads100%

tick marks the Kentucky share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

"Alcohol" counts crashes where police reported at least one driver as drinking (FARS DR_DRINK), not the BAC-based alcohol-impaired measure NHTSA publishes separately. "Speeding" counts crashes with a driver coded as racing, exceeding the limit or too fast for conditions. Details in the methodology. Factor pages: alcohol, speeding, pedestrians, motorcycles, unrestrained occupants.

Time of day and day of week

12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Breckinridge County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 49 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Friday20%
Thursday18%
Monday16%
Saturday16%
Sunday12%
Tuesday10%
Wednesday6%

Light condition

Daylight63%
Dark, not lighted24%
Dawn6%
Dark, lighting unknown4%
Dusk2%
Dark, lighted0%

Road type

Minor arterial53%
Minor collector24%
Local12%
Major collector8%
Other principal arterial2%
Interstate0%
Other freeways and expressways0%

FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the Kentucky share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.

Weather

Clear67%
Cloudy20%
Rain10%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain2%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Breckinridge

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 60US highway1425327124%17%
2State Route 79State highway7212233%24%

Signed routes (Interstate, US and state highways) that have a page on this site, ranked by fatal crashes in this county over 2015–2024; "fatal crashes" and "deaths" columns are the statewide totals for the route. Local streets and county roads are not listed.

By year, 2015–2024

YearFatal crashesDeathsDrinking-driver crashesPer 100,000
2024441–218.8KY 2024
2023811351.8KY 2023
202299042.4KY 2022
2021661–228.3KY 2021
202055323.6KY 2020
2019331–214.1KY 2019
20181–21–20—KY 2018
2017771–233.0KY 2017
201634018.8KY 2016
2015341–218.8KY 2015

Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule). Per-100,000 uses the 2024 population for every year in this table; the ten-year rate above uses each year's estimate.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Breckinridge County, Kentucky?

4 people died in 4 fatal crashes in 2024; 35 over 2020–2024 and 54 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Breckinridge compare with Kentucky?

26.3 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 17.1 for Kentucky and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Breckinridge involved alcohol?

24.5% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 25.3% in Kentucky. The factor furthest above the state share was alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 24.5%.

Which roads in Breckinridge see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 60 (14 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 79 (7 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Breckinridge?

Most often between noon to 6pm (41% of crashes) and on Fridays (20%); 28.6% happened after dark.

Where does this data come from?

NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files (1975–2024) and Census Bureau county population estimates. Figures are aggregates; no individual crash is identified. See the methodology page for definitions.

Provenance

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, annual national CSV files 1975–2024 (accident table for every year; vehicle and person tables for 2015–2024), public domain. Population: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals (vintages 2000–2010, 2010–2020 and 2020–2024). Data through 31 Dec 2024; page generated 30 Sep 2026. Processing errors are corrected at the next build; see corrections and sources.