Fatal Roads

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Clark County

Residents 37,673Deaths 2024 9Deaths 2015–2024 67Latest 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.

NHTSA's FARS file lists 67 people killed in 64 fatal crashes in Clark County, Kentucky, between 2015 and 2024, 9 of them in 2024.

With 37,673 residents, that is 18.3 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the Kentucky rate of 17.1 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 8% from 62 in 2005–2014 to 67 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is motorcyclists: 14.9% against 13.1% for Kentucky.

42% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Sunday was the most common day (19%).

9deaths in 20249 fatal crashes
30deaths, 2020–202467 over ten years
18.3per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 23.9
+7%vs Kentucky ratestate 17.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0815197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 1–2 deaths1976: 6 deaths1977: 12 deaths1978: 5 deaths1979: 4 deaths1980: 7 deaths1981: 5 deaths1982: 9 deaths1983: 4 deaths1984: 9 deaths1985: 5 deaths1986: 8 deaths1987: 11 deaths1988: 6 deaths1989: 7 deaths1990: 7 deaths1991: 15 deaths1992: 7 deaths1993: 9 deaths1994: 6 deaths1995: 11 deaths1996: 9 deaths1997: 9 deaths1998: 10 deaths1999: 8 deaths2000: 10 deaths2001: 12 deaths2002: 12 deaths2003: 8 deaths2004: 5 deaths2005: 6 deaths2006: 7 deaths2007: 6 deaths2008: 9 deaths2009: 6 deaths2010: 5 deaths2011: 6 deaths2012: 6 deaths2013: 4 deaths2014: 7 deaths2015: 5 deaths2016: 7 deaths2017: 8 deaths2018: 9 deaths2019: 8 deaths2020: 5 deaths2021: 5 deaths2022: 6 deaths2023: 5 deaths2024: 9 deaths
People killed in crashes in Clark County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 9 deaths.

Ten-year total up 8% (62 in 2005–2014, 67 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

MeasureClarkKentuckyUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202418.317.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202423.915.411.5
Deaths, 2015–2024677,684389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024647,075358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.01.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+8%-3%+7%
Crashes on rural roads63%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 37,673 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking12.5%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver12.5%
Pedestriansshare of people killed11.9%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed14.9%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used38.8%
In darknesscrashes after dark39.1%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads62.5%

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 Clark County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 64 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Sunday19%
Tuesday19%
Saturday17%
Wednesday16%
Friday13%
Thursday9%
Monday8%

Light condition

Daylight56%
Dark, not lighted33%
Dark, lighted5%
Dusk5%
Dark, lighting unknown2%
Dawn0%

Road type

Minor arterial20%
Major collector20%
Interstate19%
Local19%
Other principal arterial17%
Minor collector3%
Other freeways and expressways2%

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

Clear64%
Cloudy19%
Rain13%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain3%
Fog, smog or smoke2%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Clark

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 64Interstate1215717523%17%
2US Route 60US highway1125327124%17%
3State Route 15State highway6687816%7%

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
2024991–223.9KY 2024
2023551–213.3KY 2023
202266015.9KY 2022
2021551–213.3KY 2021
202045013.3KY 2020
201978021.2KY 2019
2018991–223.9KY 2018
2017881–221.2KY 2017
201667018.6KY 2016
2015551–213.3KY 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 Clark County, Kentucky?

9 people died in 9 fatal crashes in 2024; 30 over 2020–2024 and 67 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Clark compare with Kentucky?

18.3 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 Clark involved alcohol?

12.5% 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 motorcyclists at 14.9%.

Which roads in Clark see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 64 (12 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 60 (11 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 15 (6 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Clark?

Most often between noon to 6pm (42% of crashes) and on Sundays (19%); 39.1% 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.