Traffic deaths in Kentucky have been on the decline. That trend continues as Governor Beshear announced that the final numbers from 2024 show that the commonwealth saw the fewest number of traffic deaths in 10 years.
The governor said that in 2024 there were 707 deaths – down 107 compared with 2023. He said that in 2025, it looks like that streak is going to continue.
“In 2025 we've already seen 47 fewer fatalities than we did at this time last year, which hopefully means that trend will continue. In our new Kentucky Home we want to ensure all of our families are safe when the commute to work, school, the grocery store, or church. We want to get that number down to zero.”
He said they found that approximately 33% of the fatalities involved speeding or aggressive drivers, and 22% involved driver distraction. Pedestrians and bicyclists accounted for 110 deaths and motorcyclists accounted for 96. The governor said Kentuckians need to keep up the current trend.
“So let's keep doing all the work we can to prevent tragedies like buckling up, putting the phone down, driving sober, and following the speed limit.”
So far in 2025, preliminary numbers show 182 roadway deaths, down just over 17% compared with the same time last year.
A wrong-way driving prevention project launched last year will bring technology to interstates in central Kentucky to detect and deter wrong-way driving in urban areas where it’s more likely to occur.
