Counties in Kentucky by traffic fatalities

Jefferson County had the highest traffic fatalities of 120 counties in 2020, at 124. Webster County had the lowest, at 0. The median was 4 and the figure for Kentucky was 780. Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Median4120 counties
Kentucky780History

Map of counties, 2020

Adair County: 4 countAllen County: 6 countAnderson County: 2 countBallard County: 2 countBarren County: 9 countBath County: 2 countBell County: 6 countBoone County: 18 countBourbon County: 9 countBoyd County: 6 countBoyle County: 1 countBracken County: 0 countBreathitt County: 4 countBreckinridge County: 5 countBullitt County: 14 countButler County: 1 countCaldwell County: 1 countCalloway County: 7 countCampbell County: 15 countCarlisle County: 1 countCarroll County: 3 countCarter County: 3 countCasey County: 1 countChristian County: 13 countClark County: 5 countClay County: 7 countClinton County: 2 countCrittenden County: 3 countCumberland County: 2 countDaviess County: 9 countEdmonson County: 4 countElliott County: 1 countEstill County: 1 countFayette County: 26 countFleming County: 3 countFloyd County: 11 countFranklin County: 4 countFulton County: 3 countGallatin County: 3 countGarrard County: 1 countGrant County: 10 countGraves County: 5 countGrayson County: 6 countGreen County: 1 countGreenup County: 3 countHancock County: 0 countHardin County: 16 countHarlan County: 12 countHarrison County: 3 countHart County: 8 countHenderson County: 7 countHenry County: 4 countHickman County: 0 countHopkins County: 6 countJackson County: 5 countJefferson County: 124 countJessamine County: 9 countJohnson County: 4 countKenton County: 11 countKnott County: 2 countKnox County: 4 countLarue County: 7 countLaurel County: 13 countLawrence County: 1 countLee County: 1 countLeslie County: 5 countLetcher County: 9 countLewis County: 6 countLincoln County: 4 countLivingston County: 0 countLogan County: 6 countLyon County: 3 countMcCracken County: 14 countMcCreary County: 5 countMcLean County: 0 countMadison County: 14 countMagoffin County: 4 countMarion County: 9 countMarshall County: 7 countMartin County: 1 countMason County: 4 countMeade County: 9 countMenifee County: 2 countMercer County: 4 countMetcalfe County: 0 countMonroe County: 2 countMontgomery County: 4 countMorgan County: 4 countMuhlenberg County: 3 countNelson County: 9 countNicholas County: 2 countOhio County: 9 countOldham County: 6 countOwen County: 3 countOwsley County: 0 countPendleton County: 4 countPerry County: 9 countPike County: 14 countPowell County: 4 countPulaski County: 13 countRobertson County: 0 countRockcastle County: 7 countRowan County: 4 countRussell County: 5 countScott County: 10 countShelby County: 5 countSimpson County: 4 countSpencer County: 2 countTaylor County: 4 countTodd County: 4 countTrigg County: 4 countTrimble County: 3 countUnion County: 2 countWarren County: 15 countWashington County: 7 countWayne County: 3 countWebster County: 0 countWhitley County: 11 countWolfe County: 3 countWoodford County: 15 count
  • Under 1
  • 1 to 3
  • 3 to 4
  • 4 to 6
  • 6 to 9
  • 9 and over
count, 2020. Source: NHTSA, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2020

Jefferson County: 124 countJefferson County124Fayette County: 26 countFayette County26Boone County: 18 countBoone County18Hardin County: 16 countHardin County16Campbell County: 15 countCampbell County15Warren County: 15 countWarren County15Woodford County: 15 countWoodford County15Bullitt County: 14 countBullitt County14Madison County: 14 countMadison County14McCracken County: 14 countMcCracken County14Pike County: 14 countPike County14Christian County: 13 countChristian County13Laurel County: 13 countLaurel County13Pulaski County: 13 countPulaski County13Harlan County: 12 countHarlan County12Floyd County: 11 countFloyd County11Kenton County: 11 countKenton County11Whitley County: 11 countWhitley County11Grant County: 10 countGrant County10Scott County: 10 countScott County10Barren County: 9 countBarren County9Bourbon County: 9 countBourbon County9Daviess County: 9 countDaviess County9Jessamine County: 9 countJessamine County9Letcher County: 9 countLetcher County9Marion County: 9 countMarion County9Meade County: 9 countMeade County9Nelson County: 9 countNelson County9Ohio County: 9 countOhio County9Perry County: 9 countPerry County9Hart County: 8 countHart County8Calloway County: 7 countCalloway County7Clay County: 7 countClay County7Henderson County: 7 countHenderson County7Larue County: 7 countLarue County7Marshall County: 7 countMarshall County7Rockcastle County: 7 countRockcastle County7Washington County: 7 countWashington County7Allen County: 6 countAllen County6Bell County: 6 countBell County6Jefferson County: 124 countJefferson County124Fayette County: 26 countFayette County26Boone County: 18 countBoone County18Hardin County: 16 countHardin County16Campbell County: 15 countCampbell County15Warren County: 15 countWarren County15Woodford County: 15 countWoodford County15Bullitt County: 14 countBullitt County14Madison County: 14 countMadison County14McCracken County: 14 countMcCracken County14Pike County: 14 countPike County14Christian County: 13 countChristian County13Laurel County: 13 countLaurel County13Pulaski County: 13 countPulaski County13Harlan County: 12 countHarlan County12Floyd County: 11 countFloyd County11Kenton County: 11 countKenton County11Whitley County: 11 countWhitley County11Grant County: 10 countGrant County10Scott County: 10 countScott County10Barren County: 9 countBarren County9Bourbon County: 9 countBourbon County9Daviess County: 9 countDaviess County9Jessamine County: 9 countJessamine County9Letcher County: 9 countLetcher County9Marion County: 9 countMarion County9Meade County: 9 countMeade County9Nelson County: 9 countNelson County9Ohio County: 9 countOhio County9Perry County: 9 countPerry County9Hart County: 8 countHart County8Calloway County: 7 countCalloway County7Clay County: 7 countClay County7Henderson County: 7 countHenderson County7Larue County: 7 countLarue County7Marshall County: 7 countMarshall County7Rockcastle County: 7 countRockcastle County7Washington County: 7 countWashington County7Allen County: 6 countAllen County6Bell County: 6 countBell County6
count. Source: NHTSA, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020
count
Change on 2019
1Jefferson County124+27.8%
2Fayette County26-21.2%
3Boone County18+63.6%
4Hardin County16+6.7%
5Campbell County15+36.4%
5Warren County15-6.3%
5Woodford County15+150%
8Bullitt County14+27.3%
8Madison County14+55.6%
8McCracken County140%
8Pike County14+7.7%
12Christian County13+8.3%
12Laurel County13+44.4%
12Pulaski County13-18.8%
15Harlan County12+500%
16Floyd County11+37.5%
16Kenton County11+22.2%
16Whitley County11+120%
19Grant County10+100%
19Scott County10+25%
21Barren County9+28.6%
21Bourbon County9+28.6%
21Daviess County9-18.2%
21Jessamine County9+28.6%
21Letcher County9-10%
21Marion County9+800%
21Meade County9+12.5%
21Nelson County9-10%
21Ohio County9+80%
21Perry County9-43.8%
31Hart County8-11.1%
32Calloway County7+40%
32Clay County70%
32Henderson County7+75%
32Larue County7+75%
32Marshall County7-12.5%
32Rockcastle County7+40%
32Washington County7+75%
39Allen County6+20%
39Bell County6+100%
39Boyd County6+100%
39Grayson County6-14.3%
39Hopkins County6-14.3%
39Lewis County6-45.5%
39Logan County6-14.3%
39Oldham County6+20%
47Breckinridge County5+66.7%
47Clark County5-37.5%
47Graves County5-54.5%
47Jackson County5-37.5%
47Leslie County5+150%
47McCreary County5-28.6%
47Russell County5+150%
47Shelby County50%
55Adair County4+300%
55Breathitt County4-20%
55Edmonson County4+33.3%
55Franklin County4-50%
55Henry County4+33.3%
55Johnson County4+33.3%
55Knox County4-33.3%
55Lincoln County4+100%
55Magoffin County4+33.3%
55Mason County40%
55Mercer County4-55.6%
55Montgomery County4-42.9%
55Morgan County40%
55Pendleton County40%
55Powell County4+33.3%
55Rowan County4+300%
55Simpson County4+33.3%
55Taylor County4-42.9%
55Todd County4+100%
55Trigg County4-20%
75Carroll County3+50%
75Carter County30%
75Crittenden County3+50%
75Fleming County3+50%
75Fulton County30%
75Gallatin County3+200%
75Greenup County3-25%
75Harrison County3+50%
75Lyon County3+50%
75Muhlenberg County3-40%
75Owen County3-40%
75Trimble County3+50%
75Wayne County30%
75Wolfe County30%
89Anderson County2-33.3%
89Ballard County2-50%
89Bath County2-33.3%
89Clinton County2-50%
89Cumberland County2-60%
89Knott County2+100%
89Menifee County2+100%
89Monroe County2+100%
89Nicholas County2+100%
89Spencer County20%
89Union County2-50%
100Boyle County1-80%
100Butler County1-80%
100Caldwell County10%
100Carlisle County1-66.7%
100Casey County10%
100Elliott County1-66.7%
100Estill County1-50%
100Garrard County1-66.7%
100Green County1-50%
100Lawrence County1-80%
100Lee County1n/a
100Martin County1-50%
112Bracken County0-100%
112Hancock County0-100%
112Hickman County0n/a
112Livingston County0n/a
112McLean County0-100%
112Metcalfe County0-100%
112Owsley County0-100%
112Robertson County0n/a
112Webster County0-100%

Other periods

About this ranking

People killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the year. FARS counts people who die within 30 days of a crash involving a motor vehicle travelling on a public road, by the place of the crash, not of residence.

A police-based count of deaths. It differs from death certificate counts (CDC) and from the WHO road traffic death rate (road_traffic_death_rate), which is modelled for international comparison.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2020/National/FARS2020NationalCSV.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2026). Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash (Counties in Kentucky by traffic fatalities, 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2020/National/FARS2020NationalCSV.zip

MLA 9

Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash, Counties in Kentucky by traffic fatalities, 2020. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 24 June 2026, https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2020/National/FARS2020NationalCSV.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/kentucky-counties?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2026. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. Counties in Kentucky by traffic fatalities, 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2020/National/FARS2020NationalCSV.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/kentucky-counties?period=2020.

Harvard

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (2026) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash, Counties in Kentucky by traffic fatalities, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2020/National/FARS2020NationalCSV.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/kentucky-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{national_counties_in_kentucky_by_2020,
  author = {{National Highway Traffic Safety Administration}},
  title = {{Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash: Counties in Kentucky by traffic fatalities, 2020}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2020/National/FARS2020NationalCSV.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/kentucky-counties?period=2020. Publisher attribution: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2020/National/FARS2020NationalCSV.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
TI  - Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash: Counties in Kentucky by traffic fatalities, 2020
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/24
PB  - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2020/National/FARS2020NationalCSV.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/kentucky-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/kentucky-counties?period=2020.
N1  - Publisher attribution: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2020/National/FARS2020NationalCSV.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest traffic fatalities?

Jefferson County, with 124 in 2020, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatalities?

Webster County, with 0 in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Traffic fatalities: other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings