KY Highway Fatalities Up From Previous Year

Highway fatalities in Kentucky increased last year according to numbers from the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety and Kentucky State Police.

There were 834 fatalities in 2016, 73 more than 2015.

Among those fatalities, 50.9 percent were not wearing a seat belt and 16.8 percent involved alcohol. More than 36 percent involved speeding or aggressive drivers and 23 percent involved driver distraction. Motorcyclists accounted for 90 fatalities, with 60 percent of them not wearing helmets.

The highway fatality increase is not an issue solely for Kentucky. According to the National Safety Council, preliminary estimates indicate motor vehicle deaths totaled 40,200 last year, up 6 percent from 2015 and the first time fatalities exceeded 40,000 since 2007.

So far in 2017, preliminary numbers indicate there have been 210 roadway fatalities – down from 226 compared to the same time last year.

 

Kentucky’s history of highway fatalities:

2000 823

2001 843

2002 915

2003 931

2004 964

2005 985

2006 913

2007 864

2008 826

2009 791

2010 760

2011 721

2012 746

2013 638

2014 672

2015 761

2016 834

“With growing social acceptance of dangerous driving behaviors, such as texting while driving, speeding, driving impaired and not wearing a seat belt, we face a great challenge,” said Dr. Noell Hunter, executive director of KOHS.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 90 percent of crashes are due to human error. Their statistics indicate that seat belts, when worn correctly, reduce the risk of fatalities by 45 percent for front-seat vehicle occupants and by 60 percent for pickup truck, SUV and minivan occupants. According to NHTSA, regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect against and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes.