Fatal Roads

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Pike County

Residents 55,430Deaths 2024 19Deaths 2015–2024 162Latest 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.

Pike County, Kentucky, recorded 19 deaths in 18 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 162 deaths in 151 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 55,430 residents, that is 27.9 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 63% higher than the Kentucky rate of 17.1 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 30% from 233 in 2005–2014 to 162 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 15.2% against 16.2% for Kentucky.

33% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (21%).

19deaths in 202418 fatal crashes
86deaths, 2020–2024162 over ten years
27.9per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 34.3
+63%vs Kentucky ratestate 17.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01734197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 21 deaths1976: 10 deaths1977: 10 deaths1978: 15 deaths1979: 14 deaths1980: 20 deaths1981: 31 deaths1982: 33 deaths1983: 23 deaths1984: 15 deaths1985: 19 deaths1986: 9 deaths1987: 15 deaths1988: 18 deaths1989: 20 deaths1990: 25 deaths1991: 27 deaths1992: 32 deaths1993: 23 deaths1994: 19 deaths1995: 19 deaths1996: 13 deaths1997: 24 deaths1998: 34 deaths1999: 23 deaths2000: 23 deaths2001: 18 deaths2002: 20 deaths2003: 29 deaths2004: 28 deaths2005: 29 deaths2006: 33 deaths2007: 20 deaths2008: 32 deaths2009: 17 deaths2010: 21 deaths2011: 19 deaths2012: 21 deaths2013: 20 deaths2014: 21 deaths2015: 14 deaths2016: 16 deaths2017: 12 deaths2018: 21 deaths2019: 13 deaths2020: 14 deaths2021: 18 deaths2022: 14 deaths2023: 21 deaths2024: 19 deaths
People killed in crashes in Pike County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 19 deaths.

Ten-year total down 30% (233 in 2005–2014, 162 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

MeasurePikeKentuckyUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202427.917.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202434.315.411.5
Deaths, 2015–20241627,684389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20241517,075358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-30%-3%+7%
Crashes on rural roads83%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 55,430 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking21.9%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver15.2%
Pedestriansshare of people killed5.6%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed11.1%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used61.2%
In darknesscrashes after dark34.4%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads82.8%

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 Pike County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 151 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday21%
Monday17%
Wednesday16%
Sunday14%
Thursday13%
Friday10%
Tuesday9%

Light condition

Daylight62%
Dark, not lighted28%
Dark, lighted4%
Dawn3%
Dark, lighting unknown3%
Dusk1%

Road type

Other principal arterial42%
Major collector34%
Local12%
Minor arterial6%
Minor collector5%
Other freeways and expressways1%
Interstate0%

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

Clear65%
Cloudy17%
Rain15%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain2%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Pike

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1US Route 23US highway28941077%10%
2US Route 119US highway20485925%6%
3US Route 460US highway18667123%20%
4State Route 80State highway2667220%12%
5State Route 15State highway1687816%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
20241819334.3KY 2024
20231921337.9KY 2023
202212141–225.3KY 2022
202116181–232.5KY 2021
20201414525.3KY 2020
201912131–223.5KY 2019
20181921537.9KY 2018
20171112321.6KY 2017
201616161–228.9KY 2016
20151414625.3KY 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 Pike County, Kentucky?

19 people died in 18 fatal crashes in 2024; 86 over 2020–2024 and 162 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Pike compare with Kentucky?

27.9 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 Pike involved alcohol?

21.9% 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 15.2%.

Which roads in Pike see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, US Route 23 (28 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 119 (20 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 460 (18 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Pike?

Most often between noon to 6pm (33% of crashes) and on Saturdays (21%); 34.4% 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.