Fatal Roads

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Owen County

Residents 11,435Deaths 2024 3Deaths 2015–2024 28Latest 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, Owen County (Kentucky) had 3 fatal crashes with 3 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 25 fatal crashes and 28 deaths.

With 11,435 residents, that is 25.3 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 48% higher than the Kentucky rate of 17.1 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 10% from 31 in 2005–2014 to 28 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): 40.0% against 25.3% for Kentucky.

40% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Sunday was the most common day (16%).

3deaths in 20243 fatal crashes
9deaths, 2020–202428 over ten years
25.3per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 26.2
+48%vs Kentucky ratestate 17.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

036197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 1–2 deaths1976: 3 deaths1977: 5 deaths1978: 1–2 deaths1979: 1–2 deaths1980: 1–2 deaths1981: 3 deaths1982: 5 deaths1983: 1–2 deaths1984: 1–2 deaths1985: 0 deaths1986: 1–2 deaths1987: 4 deaths1988: 1–2 deaths1989: 1–2 deaths1990: 3 deaths1991: 6 deaths1992: 5 deaths1993: 4 deaths1994: 1–2 deaths1995: 0 deaths1996: 6 deaths1997: 1–2 deaths1998: 1–2 deaths1999: 3 deaths2000: 1–2 deaths2001: 5 deaths2002: 1–2 deaths2003: 1–2 deaths2004: 1–2 deaths2005: 1–2 deaths2006: 1–2 deaths2007: 6 deaths2008: 0 deaths2009: 4 deaths2010: 1–2 deaths2011: 6 deaths2012: 4 deaths2013: 4 deaths2014: 3 deaths2015: 1–2 deaths2016: 3 deaths2017: 4 deaths2018: 5 deaths2019: 5 deaths2020: 3 deaths2021: 0 deaths2022: 1–2 deaths2023: 1–2 deaths2024: 3 deaths
People killed in crashes in Owen County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 3 deaths.

Ten-year total down 10% (31 in 2005–2014, 28 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

MeasureOwenKentuckyUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202425.317.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202426.215.411.5
Deaths, 2015–2024287,684389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024257,075358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-10%-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 11,435 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking40%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver12%
Pedestriansshare of people killed7.1%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed3.6%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used64%
In darknesscrashes after dark40%
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 Owen County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 25 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Sunday16%
Monday16%
Thursday16%
Friday16%
Saturday16%
Wednesday12%
Tuesday8%

Light condition

Daylight56%
Dark, not lighted32%
Dark, lighted4%
Dawn4%
Dark, lighting unknown4%
Dusk0%

Road type

Minor arterial40%
Major collector24%
Minor collector24%
Local12%
Interstate0%
Other freeways and expressways0%
Other principal arterial0%

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

Clear80%
Cloudy16%
Rain4%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Owen

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 127US highway5899718%11%
2State Route 22State highway2202035%20%

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
202433026.2KY 2024
20231–21–21–2—KY 2023
20221–21–20—KY 2022
2021000—KY 2021
2020331–226.2KY 2020
2019551–243.7KY 2019
2018351–243.7KY 2018
2017341–235.0KY 2017
2016331–226.2KY 2016
20151–21–21–2—KY 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 Owen County, Kentucky?

3 people died in 3 fatal crashes in 2024; 9 over 2020–2024 and 28 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Owen compare with Kentucky?

25.3 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 Owen involved alcohol?

40.0% 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 alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 40.0%.

Which roads in Owen see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 127 (5 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 22 (2 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Owen?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (40% of crashes) and on Sundays (16%); 40.0% 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.