Fatal Roads

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Hart County

Residents 19,923Deaths 2024 1–2Deaths 2015–2024 55Latest 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.

Hart County, Kentucky, recorded fewer than three deaths in fewer than three fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 55 deaths in 50 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 19,923 residents, that is 28.7 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 68% higher than the Kentucky rate of 17.1 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 31% from 80 in 2005–2014 to 55 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 28.0% against 16.2% for Kentucky.

40% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (22%).

1–2deaths in 20241–2 fatal crashes
24deaths, 2020–202455 over ten years
28.7per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 10.0
+68%vs Kentucky ratestate 17.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

0815197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 5 deaths1976: 3 deaths1977: 9 deaths1978: 8 deaths1979: 6 deaths1980: 10 deaths1981: 7 deaths1982: 4 deaths1983: 8 deaths1984: 6 deaths1985: 7 deaths1986: 3 deaths1987: 5 deaths1988: 5 deaths1989: 4 deaths1990: 3 deaths1991: 6 deaths1992: 7 deaths1993: 4 deaths1994: 8 deaths1995: 12 deaths1996: 7 deaths1997: 11 deaths1998: 6 deaths1999: 10 deaths2000: 12 deaths2001: 5 deaths2002: 5 deaths2003: 7 deaths2004: 9 deaths2005: 11 deaths2006: 6 deaths2007: 9 deaths2008: 15 deaths2009: 6 deaths2010: 12 deaths2011: 7 deaths2012: 6 deaths2013: 1–2 deaths2014: 6 deaths2015: 5 deaths2016: 8 deaths2017: 3 deaths2018: 6 deaths2019: 9 deaths2020: 8 deaths2021: 5 deaths2022: 5 deaths2023: 4 deaths2024: 1–2 deaths
People killed in crashes in Hart County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 1–2 deaths.

Ten-year total down 31% (80 in 2005–2014, 55 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

MeasureHartKentuckyUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202428.717.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202410.015.411.5
Deaths, 2015–2024557,684389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024507,075358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-31%-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 19,923 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking24%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver28%
Pedestriansshare of people killed1.8%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed5.5%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used42%
In darknesscrashes after dark34%
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 Hart County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 50 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday22%
Tuesday16%
Thursday16%
Monday14%
Friday14%
Sunday10%
Wednesday8%

Light condition

Daylight62%
Dark, not lighted28%
Dark, lighted6%
Dusk4%
Dawn0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Major collector36%
Interstate34%
Minor collector16%
Minor arterial6%
Local6%
Other principal arterial2%
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

Clear62%
Rain20%
Cloudy16%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain2%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Hart

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 65Interstate1716617919%16%
2US Route 31WUS highway712914118%12%
3US Route 31EUS highway3768221%11%
4US Route 31US highway210712022%19%

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
20241–21–20—KY 2024
2023441–220.1KY 2023
2022551–225.1KY 2022
2021551–225.1KY 2021
2020681–240.2KY 2020
2019791–245.2KY 2019
2018661–230.1KY 2018
201733015.1KY 2017
201678440.2KY 2016
2015551–225.1KY 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 Hart County, Kentucky?

fewer than three people died in fewer than three fatal crashes in 2024; 24 over 2020–2024 and 55 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Hart compare with Kentucky?

28.7 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 Hart involved alcohol?

24.0% 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 speeding at 28.0%.

Which roads in Hart see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 65 (17 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 31W (7 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 31E (3 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Hart?

Most often between noon to 6pm (40% of crashes) and on Saturdays (22%); 34.0% 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.