Traffic Fatalities are Up
The rate of fatalities on Kentucky’s roadways is up in 2015. According to preliminary numbers from the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) and Kentucky State Police (KSP) there were 683 fatalities as of Friday, December 11th. That’s 68 more than at the same date last year. Based on recent years, we’re looking at ending the year with a 730 total, well above the 672 total for 2014 . Much of that increase is attributed to lower gas prices encouraging people to drive more, thus creating more opportunity for crashes.
Of the 683 people killed this year, 60% were not wearing seat belts, 18% died in crashes involving alcohol, more than 90 died due to speeding and more than 137 due to driver inattention. Motorcyclists accounted for 64 fatalities, 41 of which involved a rider not wearing a helmet.
Roadway fatality numbers are increasing nationwide as well. Preliminary estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate a 9.5 percent increase in roadway deaths.
A 2014 University of Kentucky Transportation Center seat belt survey shows the seat belt usage rate for pickup trucks is 79 percent, compared with 87.5 percent for passenger cars, 88.3 percent for vans, and 89.2 percent for sport utility vehicles (SUVs).
NHTSA estimates that proper seat belt use reduces the risk of fatal injury to front-seat light truck occupants by 60 percent and by 80 percent in the event of a rollover crash.
Drunk Driving/Drive Sober Holiday Campaign
In Kentucky in 2014, there were more than 4,300 crashes involving alcohol, resulting in over 2,000 injuries and 113 fatalities. There also were more than 1,400 drug-related crashes, resulting in 939 injuries and 41 fatalities.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), one in three Americans will be impacted by a drunken-driving crash in their lifetime.
The KOHS, Kentucky State Police and other law enforcement agencies are partnering for the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over holiday enforcement campaign Dec. 18, 2015, through Jan. 3, 2016. The campaign is funded through NHTSA, which says high-visibility enforcement reduces alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent. For more information, visit the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Campaign Headquarters at www.nhtsa.gov/drivesober.
In Kentucky in 2014, there were more than 4,300 collisions involving alcohol, resulting in more than 2,000 injuries and 113 fatalities. Drunken driving fatalities are 100-percent preventable
Kentucky residents may find sober ride options by using the free Drive Sober Kentucky app. The app provides phone numbers to taxi and limousine services and sober ride programs, along with a one-touch dial feature to report a drunken driver and information about the designated driver HERO campaign.
Additional information can be found at www.DriveSoberKY.com.
According to NHTSA, on average, there is one alcohol impaired driving-related fatality every 51 minutes across America. High-visibility enforcement such as the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign reduces alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent. For more information, visit the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Campaign Headquarters athttp://www.nhtsa.gov/drivesober.
Distracted Driving
Of Kentucky’s 23 westernmost counties in KYTC District 1 and District 2 there are 10 counties that are among the TOP 40 for Distracted Driving. Distracted driving accounts for about 26% of total crashs and has been a growing number in recent years. Our top counties include Daviess (3rd), Christian, McCracken, Graves, Marshall, Hopkins, Henderson, Calloway, Ohio, and Muhlenberg.