It’s important to understand the impact that state population, laws and regulations, as well as how much a state’s population drives can have on fatal car accident totals. Using the following statistics reported by the NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the latest 2021 Kentucky fatal motor vehicle accident data can help provide some insight and analysis on accident safety and prevention.
2021 Fatal Car Accident Data
There were 734 fatal crashes, resulting in 806 Kentucky deaths in 2021. Compared to the national average, Kentucky’s death per 100,000 people reflects a higher rate of fatal crashes and total deaths. Kentucky’s 17.9 deaths per 100,000 citizens is 5 deaths more than the 12.9 average for the United States. Kentucky’s 1.68 deaths per 100 million miles traveled is also .3 deaths higher than the 1.37 national rate. Using both population and vehicle miles traveled adjusted statistics, Kentucky stands out as a state with a significantly larger amount of car accident deaths compared to other states in 2021.
Kentucky Fatal Accident Details
Of Kentucky’s 806 fatal motor vehicle crash deaths, 38% of fatalities were car occupants, 31% were pickup/SUV occupants, and 3% were large truck occupants. The remaining 193 fatalities were made up of 13% motorcyclists, 9% pedestrians, and 1% bicyclists.
Nationally, the average crash type for motor vehicle deaths was 52% single-vehicle accidents and 48% multi-vehicle accidents. Kentucky’s 806 total 2021 motor vehicle accident fatalities were somewhat representative of this near fifty-fifty split in terms of accident type. 49% of fatalities were the result of single-vehicle accidents, while 51% were characterized as multi-vehicle crashes.
Out of the 429 vehicle driver fatalities in Kentucky, 75% of them have known and reported Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) percentages. With a national average of only 59% BAC reporting for killed drivers, Kentucky has data that better represents the full extent of driver fatalities compared to most states. In this case, 104 drivers were killed in motor vehicle accidents with a reported estimated BAC greater than or equal to the 0.08 nationalized legal limit.
Another alarming characteristic of Kentucky unintentional accident fatalities is the observed front-seat belt usage among fatally injured motor vehicle passengers. The national average of restrained fatally injured occupants was only 45%, meaning that 55% of fatalities were observed to have not been wearing any restraint or seatbelt. Kentucky’s 52% reported observed unrestrained fatally injured occupants reflected a similar level of concern.
How Can These Statistics Help?
Knowing the impact vehicle type, accident type, restraint usage, and BAC levels had relative to Kentucky’s car accident fatalities can help prevent taking on unnecessary risk. Avoiding the unsafe, irresponsible, and potentially illegal driving habits commonly leading to Kentucky car accidents goes a long way towards keeping the roads safe.