US 31 in Kentucky: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 105 fatal crashes on US 31 in Kentucky killed 118 people, the 10th most of 1,010 numbered roads in Kentucky. In 2024 there was 1 fatal crash and 1 death on the road.
A US route running through 13 counties of Kentucky. All fatal crashes in Kentucky.
Deaths on US 31 in Kentucky by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | 24 | 25 |
| 2022 | 20 | 23 |
| 2021 | 24 | 25 |
| 2020 | 12 | 15 |
| 2019 | 18 | 21 |
| 2018 | 3 | 4 |
| 2017 | 2 | 3 |
| 2016 | 1 | 1 |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on US 31 in Kentucky: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Jefferson County had the most fatal crashes on US 31 from 2015 to 2024: 60, with 64 deaths. Jefferson, Hardin and Barren counties together held 76% of fatal crashes on US 31 in Kentucky from 2015 to 2024; the 4 listed held 81%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jefferson County | 1 | 60 | 64 |
| 2 | Hardin County | 0 | 14 | 17 |
| 3 | Barren County | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| 4 | Nelson County | 0 | 5 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on US 31 in Kentucky
105 fatal crashes on US 31 in Kentucky from 2015 to 2024 have a known time, too few for any one weekday and time of day to stand out. The worst hour is 9 pm to 10 pm; the worst month is July.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Wed | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Thu | 6.7 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 5.7 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan9.5%
- Feb3.8%
- Mar5.7%
- Apr7.6%
- May7.6%
- Jun10.5%
- Jul15.2%
- Aug10.5%
- Sep10.5%
- Oct4.8%
- Nov8.6%
- Dec5.7%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on US 31 in Kentucky first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 51%; a pedestrian in 25%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 20%, a cyclist in 1.9%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 54 | 51% |
| Pedestrian | 26 | 25% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 21 | 20% |
| Cyclist | 2 | 1.9% |
| Other | 2 | 1.9% |
| Rollover | 0 | 0.0% |
| Parked vehicle | 0 | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes on US 31 in Kentucky compare with the state
The largest difference from Kentucky: from 2015 to 2024, 37% of fatal crashes on US 31 in Kentucky were on rural roads, against 66% across Kentucky. Also above the Kentucky share: intersections, hit-and-runs and pedestrians. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Kentucky. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 105 crashes.
| US 31 | Kentucky | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 37% | 66% | below the Kentucky share |
| At or near an intersection | 49% | 20% | above the Kentucky share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 32% | 29% | about the same as the Kentucky share |
| A drinking driver | 23% | 25% | about the same as the Kentucky share |
| Speeding | 19% | 16% | about the same as the Kentucky share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 12% | 19% | about the same as the Kentucky share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 49% | 52% | about the same as the Kentucky share |
| Hit-and-run | 11% | 4.3% | above the Kentucky share |
| A motorcycle involved | 13% | 14% | about the same as the Kentucky share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 22% | 11% | above the Kentucky share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on US 31 in Kentucky
- How many fatal crashes have there been on US 31 in Kentucky?
- 105 fatal crashes killed 118 people on US 31 in Kentucky from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there was 1 fatal crash and 1 death. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on US 31 in Kentucky do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Jefferson County had the most fatal crashes on US 31 from 2015 to 2024: 60, with 64 deaths. Hardin County was second with 14.
Other roads in Kentucky with a page
All fatal crashes in Kentucky, with every road ranked.
Where the US 31 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as US 31 in Kentucky (filed under 35 spellings, such as "US- 31 DIXIE HWY", "US-31", "US-31 BARDSTOWN RD", "US-31 BOWLING GREEN RD"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.