COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Whitley County, Kentucky
Road fatality data for Whitley County (KY). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 63
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 9
- Latest Year Deaths
- Near average count
- 24.4
- Per 100k Residents
- Above average
- Decreasing
- Trend
Falling fatality trend
Whitley County's FARS series is labeled Decreasing with 9 deaths in the latest year.
Whitley County on a falling FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Whitley County ranks #609 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #36 of 98 rated counties in KY. Whitley County's fatality rate of 24.4 per 100,000 residents leaves it more dangerous than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure.
- #609 of 2,328
- higher-rate third
- #1,134 of 3,137
- by total FARS fatalities
- #36 of 98
- in KY by rate
- Decreasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA FARS milepost
Milepost WHITLEY-235 · Whitley 24.4/100k · #609 of 2,328
Whitley County · 24.4/100k · decreasing
- PHOTO 24.4/100k
- VS-ST #609 of 2,328
- CRASH 63 book
- FARS Decreasing
- NHTSA 62 crash
- MILE +14.0% 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 Whitley County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Whitley County is About the same as 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, Whitley 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 Whitley County's rate and the state average is 3.0 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Pike County, at 37.5 per 100,000 (a difference of 13.1). 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).
Whitley County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
24 Around the middle a lower per-capita rate than 26% 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 Whitley County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Whitley 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 WLetter index including KY counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Whitley County, Kentucky?
Whitley County recorded 63 total traffic fatalities across 62 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 9 fatalities. The county averages approximately 7.0 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Whitley County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (62 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Whitley County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Kentucky may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Whitley County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Whitley County is decreasing. This suggests road safety improvements are having a positive effect in the county.
What is the fatality rate per capita in Whitley County?
Whitley County has a fatality rate of 24.4 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 Whitley County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Whitley County ranks #609 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #36 of 98 rated counties in KY, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Whitley County compare to the rest of Kentucky?
Whitley County's per-capita rate of 24.4 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 Whitley 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.