When Are You Most Likely to Get in a Car Accident in Kentucky?
Car accidents are an everyday occurrence in Kentucky, with close to 120,000 reported in 2020. As a result, it is critical to know when, where, and why these collisions occur. According to the most recent complete accident statistics reported by the Kentucky Transportation Center at the University of Kentucky for 2020, Kentucky accidents occurred every day of the week, and the data is as follows.
Collisions By Day of the Week
- Sundays: 10,260 accidents reported and 90 fatal collisions.
- Mondays: 14,568 accidents reported and 83 fatal collisions.
- Tuesdays: 14,584 accidents reported and 82 fatal collisions.
- Wednesdays: 15,169 accidents reported and 99 fatal collisions.
- Thursdays: 15,576 accidents reported and 99 fatal collisions.
- Fridays: 17,430 accidents reported and 120 fatal collisions.
- Saturdays: 13,200 accidents reported and 131 fatal collisions.
23% of all car accidents and 31% of fatal collisions happened on weekends.
Collisions By Months of the Year
Collisions were also spread out during the year and included:
- January: 10,118 accidents and 42 fatal collisions.
- February: 9,909 accidents and 39 fatal collisions.
- March: 7,353 accidents and 45 fatal collisions.
- April: 5,112 accidents and 47 fatal collisions.
- May: 7,140 accidents and 51 fatal collisions.
- June: 8,397 accidents and 69 fatal collisions.
- July: 8,488 accidents and 80 fatal collisions.
- August: 8,567 accidents and 94 fatal collisions.
- September: 8,346 accidents and 51 fatal collisions.
- October: 9,798 accidents and 67 fatal collisions.
- November: 9,070 accidents and 57 fatal collisions.
- December: 8,489 accidents and 62 fatal collisions.
January saw the highest number of car accidents, while most fatal collisions occurred in August.
The Time of Day When Car Accidents Occur
Most car accidents in Kentucky happen during daylight hours. Here are the number of collisions that occurred in 2020 by light condition:
| Condition | Number of Accidents | Percent |
| Daylight | 68,536 | 68% |
| Dawn | 2,130 | 2.1% |
| Dusk | 2,398 | 2.4% |
| Dark | 27,267 | 27.1% |
| Other/Unknown | 456 | 0.5% |
Here are the statistic on fatal collisions by light condition:
| Condition | Number of Fatal Accidents | Percent |
| Daylight | 360 | 51.5% |
| Dawn | 18 | 2.6% |
| Dusk | 14 | 2% |
| Dark | 308 | 43.8% |
| Other/Unknown | 4 | 0.6% |
Counties Where These Accidents Happened
Every county in Kentucky reported collisions in 2020, but here are the statistics from the areas we serve and a few others:
- Jefferson County (Louisville): 14,825 collisions and 116 fatal accidents.
- McCracken County (Paducah): 2,089 collisions and 12 fatal accidents.
- Graves County (Mayfield): 791 collisions and 9 fatal accidents.
- Calloway County (Murray): 801 collisions and 6 fatal accidents.
- Christian County (Hopkinsville): 1,668 collisions and 11 fatal accidents.
Jefferson County had the highest number of crashes in Kentucky, and Fayette County was second (10,782 collisions).
Why These Statistics are Important
Knowing when you are most likely to be involved in a car accident in Kentucky may help prevent them. Awareness can lead drivers to be more vigilant about driving defensively and cognizant of the road—for example, by increasing their following distance, paying constant attention, driving strategically, following traffic laws such as the speed limit, and refraining from driving while intoxicated or tired.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a car accident, we can help. Call or text (270) 550-1230 to arrange a free consultation with our Kentucky Auto Accident Lawyer today.