Truck accident statistics for Jefferson County, Kentucky (2020-2024)

Truck accident deaths in Jefferson County by year

Annual truck accident deaths fell from 18 in 2020 to 15 in 2021 and 6 in 2022. The count then rose to 12 in 2023 before falling to 5 in 2024. The highest count was in 2020, and the lowest was in 2024. The 2024 count was 13 deaths lower than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The corresponding shares of all traffic deaths were 14.5% in 2020, 12.1% in 2021, 4.7% in 2022, 9.0% in 2023 and 4.4% in 2024. All traffic deaths numbered 124 in 2020, 124 in 2021, 129 in 2022, 134 in 2023 and 113 in 2024. These annual truck accident figures count deaths, rather than the number of fatal crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Deaths within 30 days in crashes on public roads. 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised.

Who died in Jefferson County truck accidents

People in the large truck accounted for 11 deaths, or 19.6%, during 2020 through 2024. People in other vehicles accounted for 40 deaths, or 71.4%, the largest share of truck accident deaths. The row labeled "Pedestrians, bicyclists and other people outside vehicles" recorded 5 deaths, or 8.9%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

That quoted label represents the FARS nonoccupant grouping, including pedestrians, pedalcyclists and other or unknown nonoccupants. Its other category can include occupants of parked motor vehicles. The label therefore should not be read as a literal test of whether someone was outside a vehicle.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The trucks involved

Fatal truck accidents in Jefferson County involved 58 large trucks during 2020 through 2024. Truck-tractors, described in the table as semi or tractor-trailer units, numbered 36 and represented 62.1% of those trucks. Single-unit and other large trucks numbered 22. The count of large trucks recorded as jackknifed was 1.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

Each of these figures counts vehicles. They are distinct from the 52 fatal crashes and 56 deaths recorded for the period. A truck accident can involve multiple large trucks, so the truck count is not a count of separate crashes or people killed.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

Counts are trucks, not crashes. One crash can involve more than one large truck.

How the fatal truck crashes happened

Manner of collision describes the first harmful event. Angle (side impact) recorded 15 deaths (26.8%), head-on 7 (12.5%), rear-end 13 (23.2%), sideswipe 4 (7.1%) and Other 2 (3.6%). "Not a collision with another moving vehicle" recorded 15 (26.8%). This means no collision with a motor vehicle in transport, including events involving pedestrians, cyclists, parked vehicles, fixed objects or rollovers. A vehicle stopped in traffic can be in transport.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Separate truck accident configuration figures group deaths by the number of vehicles involved: single-vehicle crashes accounted for 10 deaths (17.9%), two-vehicle crashes for 30 (53.6%), and crashes involving three or more vehicles for 16 (28.6%). Those death shares describe configuration, rather than manner of collision.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Interstates, time of day and setting

Interstate truck accident deaths numbered 27, or 48.2%. Listed route-coded counts were 7 on I-65, 7 on I-64, 6 on I-264 and 3 on I-71. These figures use interstate route classification and a parseable interstate route number; the listed routes are a subset, not a full road network.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Daytime (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.) accounted for 24 deaths (42.9%); nighttime (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) accounted for 32 (57.1%). Urban locations recorded 55 deaths (98.2%), and rural locations recorded 1 (1.8%). Work-zone truck accident deaths numbered 2. These location and time figures count deaths, not trucks or crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Truck accident death rate compared with Kentucky and the United States

Jefferson County's truck accident death rate was 1.4, compared with Kentucky's 2.4 and the United States rate of 1.6. Each rate expresses average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. The county rate was lower than both the state and national rates. The corresponding death counts were 56 for Jefferson County, 542 for Kentucky and 27,553 nationally. No neighboring county rates are supplied in the fact sheet.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The rates use deaths at the crash location and Census population estimates; they do not measure deaths among county residents specifically. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. Readers searching for a truck accident lawyer should read these figures as location-based fatal-crash statistics.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates, so they show deaths per 100,000 residents per year. They do not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.

About these figures

NHTSA's FARS is a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Inclusion requires a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and an occupant or nonoccupant death within 30 days. Counts follow the crash county, not the deceased person's residence. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded.^[9][6][7][8]

Records for 2020 through 2023 are Final Files; 2024 uses the Annual Report File, subject to revision. Rates divide 2020 through 2024 deaths by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025, then multiply by 100,000. This gives average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjustments for miles driven or visitors. The separate July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the denominator.^[9][6][7][8]

See also

On related publications

• Car accident statistics for Jefferson County, Kentucky (2020-2024) (caraccidentlawyers.wiki)