If you’ve driven on I-65 in Kentucky long enough, you’ve probably seen the aftermath of multiple vehicle collisions. Maybe you’ve seen some happen or you’ve been involved in one yourself. Commercial trucks are on every highway in the US, but thanks to I-65’s central location and its connection to UPS Worldport in Louisville, it has more trucks than other highways, which increases the risk of an accident involving one.
What is I-65?
The highway is 887 miles long and runs from Gary, Indiana, to Mobile, Alabama. In Kentucky, it cuts through Louisville, heads south to Elizabethtown, turns southwest to Bowling Green, and then goes south to Nashville.
One reason why there’s so much truck traffic on I-65 is that it cuts through the center of the country, near many companies critical to the nation’s manufacturing base, and there are no parallel train tracks allowing railroads to share the load.
I-65 is considered a Tier 1 freight corridor (by one definition, an interstate or road with average daily truck traffic greater than or equal to 8,500 and connecting cities of one million or more) by the federal government, which is the highest classification, according to the Mid-America Freight Coalition (MAFC).
MAFC states that roadways supporting freight that start in, are destined for, or travel through Louisville include I-64, I-65, and I-71. The city has a total of 11 urban interstates, freeways, and expressways that support freight transportation.
I-65, I-71, and I-64 rank one, three, and four, respectively, on the average combination of annual average daily truck traffic (AADTT) per mile. These three highways also account for 76.7% of combined truck miles on urban interstates, freeways, and expressways within Louisville.
One of the main reasons so many commercial trucks use I-65 in the Louisville area is that the city is the home of UPS Worldport, the world’s largest automated package sorting facility. It processes about 9,984,000 packages and documents, on average, every day. When a huge facility like this operates around the clock, trucks are constantly coming and going on the surrounding roads, including I-65.
Under What Conditions is an Accident on I-65 More Likely?
There are far more miles of I-65 in the state’s rural areas, but according to a University of Kentucky analysis, from 2018 to 2022, on average, there were more than twice as many accidents on highways in the state’s urban areas (ranging from 122 to 154 annually) compared to rural areas (53 to 69). Given that the amount of traffic in urban areas is nearly five times the estimate in rural ones, perhaps that’s good news.
The Kentucky State Police’s analysis of 2024 vehicle accidents, interstates were the second most common location for accidents (11.47%), behind state routes (34.75%). For I-65, there were 2,868 vehicle crashes, with 16 causing 16 deaths and 388 resulting in 562 injuries. Of the 11 interstates listed, only I-75 had more accidents, deaths, and injuries.
Most Kentucky vehicle accidents that year occurred on dry road surfaces (78.32%, wet 18.9%) on straight, level roads (72.28%). The vast majority of accidents happened during the day (70.3%). Nearly all accidents involved passenger vehicles (89.93%), with trucks accounting for 4.8%.
What’s Likely to Lead to an Accident on I-65?
The state police list the following as the most common contributing factors to crashes in 2024:
- Driver inattention
- Not under proper control
- Failure to yield
- Misjudging clearance
Driver inattention is by far the leading cause. It’s estimated to be involved in 36% of accidents. The second highest, not under proper control, was 12%. The numbers are similar for the top causes of truck accidents: driver inattention, misjudging clearance, and failing to keep in the proper lane.
What are the Most Common Types of Crashes on I-65?
If you’re going to be in a vehicle collision on I-65, it’s more likely to be in an urban area, when the highway is dry, on a straight section, during the day. The accident will likely involve another passenger vehicle, but if a commercial vehicle is involved, your chances of a severe or fatal injury are greater. The factors leading up to the crash are likely a driver who isn’t paying attention and/or isn’t keeping their vehicle under proper control.
Some of the more common I-65 accident types are:
- Rear-end: It may happen in a traffic jam, when traffic is slowing down, or the driver isn’t paying attention, is fatigued, asleep, or impaired by alcohol or drugs. One vehicle will strike another from behind, potentially causing a chain reaction pile-up of multiple accidents
- Side swipe: One driver wants to change lanes and doesn’t see the other vehicle, or sees it but cuts it off, and the sides of the vehicles collide. This could also happen if a driver is fatigued, asleep, or under the influence and drifts from one lane to another. A driver trying to avoid hitting debris on the highway may swerve around it and strike a vehicle in the next lane
- Roll-over: This could result from several issues. Someone who’s speeding and weaving in and out of lanes may lose control of the vehicle and roll onto its side. Someone may try to steer out of an accident in front of them while hitting the brakes and turning over
- Striking an object: A vehicle may hit debris in the roadway or may leave the travel lanes (intentionally or not) and hit a guardrail, overpass, or light pole. The vehicle may next side swipe another, or rear-end it, or be rear-ended by another vehicle
- Construction sites: Any of the above could occur during construction or maintenance in a travel lane or on the side of the highway. A driver may be speeding and or not paying attention and strike another vehicle that’s slowing down, or go into the work zone and hit vehicles, equipment, or workers
Given the number of vehicles on I-65, the crash possibilities and causes are practically limitless.
Speak to an Elizabethtown Truck Accident Attorney Today
If you’re injured or a loved one is killed in an accident on I-65 and have questions about your legal rights to compensation, contact The Fleck Firm at (270) 446-7000 or complete our online contact form to schedule your free consultation. We’ll discuss your accident, how Kentucky law may apply, and your best options. Insurance companies have lawyers. You should have one, too.
