Disclaimer: Map above includes 2014-2015 data

Our Louisville car accident attorneys see countless accident cases that result in colossal medical bills and personal expenses for victims resulting from one form of negligence or another. Sometimes, the causes of roadway accidents are due to poor street light or road maintenance by the city. Other times, it can be because of a poor intersection design that leads to an increased likelihood of accidents. Here, we’ll examine Louisville most dangerous roadways and intersections in 2018.

Louisville’s Most Dangerous Intersections and Roadways

Kentucky’s roadways are headed down a dangerous path for motorists. Fatal crash rates have risen significantly over the past few years. In 2017, the total number of Kentucky traffic deaths in car accidents throughout the state was 782. While 2017 saw a slight decline in roadway fatalities since 2016-where the number of fatalities were 834- roadway fatalities still pose a grave threat to public safety in Kentucky.

The state’s overall vehicle accident death rate is higher than the national average and after a string of years with a steady increase in traffic deaths, 2017 was the first year Kentucky saw a decline in traffic accident deaths. In 2015, the death rate per 100 million miles traveled in Kentucky stood at 1.56 per 100 million miles traveled versus 1.13 nationally. In 2016, Kentucky’s traffic death rate rose to 1.69 deaths per million miles traveled, while the U.S. rate rose slightly at 1.16. While the death rate in Kentucky dropped back to 1.56 per 100 million miles traveled, it remained well over the national average that remained steady at 1.16 per 100 million miles traveled.

In Jefferson County, a number of roadways and intersections were the sites of multiple accidents with injuries in 2017.

Most Dangerous Intersections

Dixie Highway at Pendleton rd. – Eight Accidents with Injury

S. Hurstbourne Pkwy at Bunsen Way – Eight Accidents with Injury

BardstownRd at Grinstead Dr – Eight accidents with Injury

Most Dangerous Roadways

I-65 South on JFK Memorial Bridget – 18 Accidents with Injury

5400 Block of New Cut Rd – 15 Accidents with Injury

I-64 West near Mile 13 – 14 Accidents with Injury

I-264 W Near Mile 13 – 14 Accidents with Injury

The total numbers of wrecks with injuries is just one way of measuring the level of danger presented by roads and intersections. Another way of viewing the data is by the number of people killed.
Multiple roadways and intersections in Louisville were the sites of crashes that injured between one and three people in 2015. At two intersections — Broadway and 26th, and 12th and Oak — four or more people were injured during the year. Two roadways — Broadway near Mile 0, and Interstate 65 near Mile 137 — also were the sites of four or more injuries.

At a number of intersections in downtown Louisville, wrecks occurred that each resulted in a single fatality:

• S 2nd St and W Jefferson St
• Magazine St. and Dr W J Hodge St.
• W Gaulbert Ave and Catalpa St.
• W Griffiths Ave and N. 25th St.
• S 13th St and W Breckinridge St

Several roadways were the sites of wrecks that caused multiple injuries or fatalities; for example, on Cane Run between Donald and Clarinet, 23 people were injured in one accident in February 2015. In March 2015, a single-vehicle collided with a train on Buechel Ave killed three and injured one person.

Urban, Rural Crash Rates Vary

The Kentucky Transportation Center at the University of Kentucky notes that the overall fatal crash rate in the state increased by 2.5 percent in 2015 over the average rate for the previous four years. But the center also found in an analysis of crash data that the injury and fatality rates varied significantly by the type of roadway.

One-lane portions of highways — which often ran for only short distances — showed the highest rate of all types of crashes. Undivided, two- and four-lane highways also had high crash rates. The fatal crash rate on two-lane highways was substantially higher than on other types of roads.

The lowest crash rates — with and without injuries and fatalities — occurred on parkways and interstates. Parkways showed the lowest rate of fatal crashes, and the rate on urban highways was just 35 percent of the rate for highways in rural areas. The lower rate is attributable to higher traffic volumes and slower speeds that often prevail in urban areas.

Reasons Behind the Data

Driver inattention is the top cause of most accidents and near-accidents, research indicates. In almost 80 percent of all accidents — and 65 percent of near-accidents — a driver is inattentive in some way within three seconds of the incident. Inattention includes using a cell phone and especially texting, but it also includes activities like conversing with passengers, changing a radio station, or eating.

Kentucky data indicates that 212 lives have been lost just in 2019. In 2018, 725 Kentucky roadway fatalities occurred as a result of a distracted driving accident. U.S. data indicates that in 2017, 3,166 lives were lost in distracted driving accidents throughout the country.

How Can Drivers Reduce the Danger?

The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety offers tips for managing distractions while driving:

• Stay completely focused on the road at all times. Diverting your attention for a split second can cause a crash.
• Learn how to drive defensively, and watch for sudden movements by other motorists around you.
• If you need to eat or talk on your cell phone, pull off the road and choose a safe spot away from traffic. Exiting the roadway only takes a short time, and it could avert a crash.
• Leave enough following room so you have sufficient time to react to unexpected incidents. Experts recommend a two-second differential between you and the vehicle ahead of you.
• Avoid speeding, which gives you less time to react to hazards ahead of you.
• Always wear your seatbelt, and ensure that passengers wear theirs.
• Never drink and drive.
• Never text and drive. Always pull over to text, and consider pulling over to talk as well.

Work with an Experienced Motor Vehicle Crash Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured in Kentucky, it’s important to work with an experienced Louisville injury attorney who is experienced in litigating motor vehicle accidents. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, including the costs of your medical treatment, lost time from work and other expenses. To schedule a free case review and consultation, please contact Meinhart, Smith, & Manning, PLLC.

Sources:

IIHS Crash Data