Kentucky State Police to hold traffic checkpoints across Perry County area

Motorists crossing Perry County can expect Kentucky State Police visibility on the roads they use most, as Post 13 said it would conduct periodic traffic safety checkpoints across its five-county coverage area out of Hazard. The post, based at 100 Justice Dr. in Hazard, said the stops were approved under the KSP Policy and Procedures Manual and were meant to reinforce traffic law compliance in Perry, Knott, Letcher, Breathitt and Leslie counties.

The checkpoints are designed as high-visibility enforcement, not routine traffic patrols. KSP says troopers at these stops look for impaired drivers, children who are not properly restrained in child safety seats, seat belt violations, vehicle equipment problems, and valid registration and licensing. That makes the effort especially relevant for Perry County drivers moving between Hazard, Vicco, Buckhorn, Chavies and surrounding hollows, where many daily trips funnel onto a limited number of state roads.

Those roads include KY 7, KY 15, KY 15X, KY 28 and KY 80, all of which help carry local traffic through the county and into neighboring communities. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet maintains route and traffic-count tools for Perry County, underscoring how heavily these corridors are used and why checkpoint enforcement can affect commutes, school runs and work travel even when the exact locations are not announced in advance.

Perry County’s road safety picture adds weight to the warning. The U.S. Census Bureau puts the county’s 2024 population estimate at 26,739, and Census Bureau estimates show 18.6% of residents were age 65 or older in the 2020-2024 period. Census Reporter estimates the county’s population density at 80.9 people per square mile, a reminder that a small number of state routes carry a large share of local traffic and that crashes or impaired driving on those routes can quickly affect the wider community.

The June 1 announcement fits a pattern. Post 13 has issued similar checkpoint notices before, including one on March 2, 2026, and another on January 2, 2024. For Perry County drivers, the message is plain: expect troopers to be watching for DUI, restraint and licensing violations on the roads that tie the county together, and expect the stops to remain a recurring part of Kentucky State Police traffic enforcement in the Hazard post area.