The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is reminding residents who plan to go over the river and through the woods to grandma’s house to buckle up first.
As of this morning, there had been 748 fatalities on Kentucky highways this year. Of those, about 53 percent were not wearing a safety belt. The 2017 total is 69 fatalities below the same date for 2016.
Wherever you go, bucking your safety belt provides the best protection if you are involved in a crash. Whether you are heading cross-country or just down the block to the local supermarket, it only takes a few seconds to buckle up. Air bags and other safety features in modern automobiles can do a better job of protecting you in a crash if you are buckled up.
Kentucky averages about 2 1/2 fatalities in crashes each day. That means more than 20 more deaths are likely be recorded in Kentucky between now and the end of the year.
This year AAA estimates 108 million Americans will travel during the Christmas Holiday driving period. Most will take to the road for an average trip of about 75 miles. As the Christmas song says, that means from Atlantic to Pacific the traffic will be terrific. Let’s all drive careful out there.