Warmer weather is a welcome sight here in the bluegrass as Kentucky Derby season is upon us, and summer is right around the corner.
Communities are bustling with tourism, and our roadways will be buzzing with vacationers, travelers and those connected with the industries that help the engine of our economy keep plugging along. As Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, I want to encourage you and your family to be cautious on roadways as you seek out the many great destinations across the Commonwealth.
The National Safety Council estimates more than 46,000 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2022. Compared to pre-pandemic 2019, the death rate in 2022 increased by nearly 22%. It is an alarming number, and each death is entirely avoidable.
The causes of fatalities on roadways can differ. The conditions of our roads matter, as does the state of mind of those who travel on them. To take precautions from the various causes of a crash, we must remain aware of our surroundings on the roadway and buckle up.
Remember Kentucky’s buckle-up campaign slogan, ‘Click It or Ticket.’ According to the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety, of the 806 roadway deaths in 2021 in Kentucky, 609 were occupants of motor vehicles. Of those killed in motor vehicle crashes, 333 were either not wearing a seat belt or not correctly restrained in a car or booster seat.
Twelve of the 609 were children aged nine and younger. Four of those 12 were improperly restrained.
Utilizing all funding sources, the Kentucky General Assembly allocated over $7 billion to transportation infrastructure in the most recent budget, which includes funding for the completion of the state megaproject, the Brent Spence Bridge.
You will see dedicated Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) workers laboring on road and highway projects, improving travel and roadway safety. Be mindful of their presence on the roadways and be patient with infrastructure projects.
With these significant investments and multiple years of record economic investment since 2017, there are also many work zones. Do your part to prevent work zone crashes, injuries and fatalities.
There were 1,074 construction zone crashes in 2022, according to KYTC. Those resulted in 271 injuries and six deaths. Four of the six fatalities were motorists or passengers, and two were workers. KYTC encourages residents to be ‘work zone alert.’ A work zone is a temporary site for maintenance or construction along highways, roads and streets. They do not always have cones, barrels, or barriers. Warning signs, shadow vehicles or flashing lights indicate operations like mowing, pothole repair, pavement striping or snow plowing. Work zone workers are encouraged to follow work zone safety best practices, but please be on the lookout as a motorist.
In Kentucky, it is the law that drivers must move or change lanes if there’s an emergency vehicle on the side of the road if it is safe. A national poll by Mason Dixon Polling found that 71% of Americans were unfamiliar with move-over laws even though most states have some version. Be aware, and if you see a law enforcement officer or another emergency vehicle on the side, please safely move into the other lane to better ensure the well-being of first responders who face risks in their service to our communities. It is an excellent practice to do this for any vehicle on the shoulder of the road when you can safely slow down and move over.
We can avoid unnecessary accidents by making wise decisions and watching out for the poor choices of fellow drivers. Instead of choosing to drink and drive or drive impaired, think and drive. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that approximately 32 people in the U.S. die in drunk or impaired driving crashes every day.
This number was up from a reported 28 only a couple of years ago. In 2019, the legislature passed Senate Bill 85, which implemented the Kentucky Ignition Interlock Program (KIIP). The bill introduced changes to driving under the influence and interlock laws and made the program available to first-time DUI offenders. The device will not allow a car or motorcycle to start if the breathalyzer is 0.02 or greater unless a subsequent test performed within 10 minutes registers a lower breath alcohol concentration.
State law prohibits anyone with an alcohol concentration over 0.08 from operating a vehicle. DUI offenders can forego license suspension by participating in the program.
Additionally, the NHTSA reports that 3,522 people died in car crashes in 2022 due to distracted driving, such as texting while driving.
The NHTSA explains that distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, and fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system. Anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving.
It says texting is the most alarming distraction. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. You cannot drive safely unless the task of driving has your full attention. NHTSA says any non-driving activity you engage in is a potential distraction and increases your risk of crashing. I encourage parents to lead by example, never drive distracted, and encourage teens, who can be the most influential messengers among their peers, to speak to their friends about the hazards of distracted driving. No text message or social media post is worth your life or another person’s life.
Distracted driving can lead to road departures. A road departure is defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Safety Administration as a crash that occurs after a vehicle crosses an edge line or a center line or otherwise leaves the traveled way. From 2016 to 2018, an average of 19,158 fatalities resulted from roadway departures, equating to 51% of all traffic fatalities in America. SAFEKY reports 56% of all deaths and serious injury crashes from 2014-2018 were roadway departures; they accounted for 30% of all crashes in Kentucky. Slow down to prevent roadway departure accidents, especially on rural roads.
Soon I will provide an outline of what is expected during the interim period, especially on matters about the Interim Joint Committee on Transportation. Stay tuned for updates.
I hope you enjoy the remainder of the spring season, the Kentucky Derby, and the upcoming summer months. Stay safe and God bless.