COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Russell County, Kentucky
Road fatality data for Russell County (KY). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 29
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 5
- Latest Year Deaths
- Low count
- 27.4
- Per 100k Residents
- Above average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Russell County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 5 deaths in the latest year.
Russell County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Russell County ranks #491 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #29 of 98 rated counties in KY. Russell County's fatality rate of 27.4 per 100,000 residents leaves it more dangerous than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure.
- #491 of 2,328
- higher-rate third
- #2,052 of 3,137
- by total FARS fatalities
- #29 of 98
- in KY by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
Highway fatality milepost
Milepost RUSSELL-207 · Russell 27.4/100k · #491 of 2,328
Russell County · 27.4/100k · increasing
- FARS 27.4/100k
- NHTSA #491 of 2,328
- MILE 29 book
- POST Increasing
- BAND 29 crash
- VOL +28.0% vs KY
Stamps derive from this county's NHTSA FARS row (per-100k or book, corpus rank, trend, nationwide peer NAME, vs-state gap), not a trip-risk forecast. PlainRoadSafety is informational only. See our disclaimer. Verify with NHTSA FARS → · Read with methodology → · Understanding road fatality data → · Kentucky state profile →
How does Russell County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Russell County is 28% deadlier than the comparison
2023 road deaths from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System over population from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2023). Rates shown for counties with 10,000+ residents and a 2023 FARS record.
Among the 15 rated counties in Kentucky, Russell County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 21.4 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it more dangerous than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Russell County's rate and the state average is 6.0 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Pike County, at 37.5 per 100,000 (a difference of 10.1). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Breathitt County (54.0), Breckinridge County (52.1), Todd County (48.0), Caldwell County (47.8), Webster County (47.1), Floyd County (46.5), Carroll County (45.5), Butler County (40.4), Simpson County (39.6), Logan County (38.9), Powell County (38.5), Jackson County (38.2), Ohio County (38.1), Pike County (37.5).
Russell County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
27 Higher than most a lower per-capita rate than 21% of 2,328 rated counties
rated U.S. counties, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more rated counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NHTSA FARS over U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · 2026-09-03
More road safety data related to Russell County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Russell County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Kentucky statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for KY
- State fatality changesYear-over-year state trends
- Browse all U.S. countiesAlphabetical county index
- All state profiles51 state dashboards
- State vs U.S. safety comparisonRoute-level lookup tool
- National statistics downloadFARS CSV + findings
- How to read FARS fatality dataMethodology primer
- Per-mile vs per-capita road riskRate denominator explained
- Counties starting with RLetter index including KY counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Russell County, Kentucky?
Russell County recorded 29 total traffic fatalities across 29 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 5 fatalities. The county averages approximately 3.2 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Russell County?
Cause-code breakdowns are not individually published for Russell County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Kentucky may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Russell County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Russell County is increasing. This indicates that traffic fatalities have risen over the data period, warranting attention to road safety initiatives.
What is the fatality rate per capita in Russell County?
Russell County has a fatality rate of 27.4 per 100,000 residents, which leaves it more dangerous than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Russell County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Russell County ranks #491 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #29 of 98 rated counties in KY, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Russell County compare to the rest of Kentucky?
Russell County's per-capita rate of 27.4 per 100,000 residents is above the Kentucky county average of 21.4. Visit the Kentucky state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Russell County come from?
All road fatality data comes from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), a census of fatal motor vehicle crashes on public roads in the United States. FARS data covers the period 2016-2023 and includes all crashes resulting in at least one fatality within 30 days.