With Traffic Deaths Increasing, Kentucky State Police Urge Motorists to Wear Seat Belts

Last week we reported the safety benefits of following Kentucky’s traffic laws. The Kentucky State Police (KSP) are also warning Kentucky motorists about the risks related to drunk driving and not fastening their seat belts. Unfortunately, this message is tied to the bad news that traffic fatalities are on the rise in Kentucky. 

According to a Feb. 9 press release, at that time there had been 64 statewide traffic fatalities in 2012, five more than at the same time last year. The tragedy of these deaths is that nearly half of the deceased (31) were not wearing seat belts, and nine died in crashes involving alcohol. 

The KSP reports that preliminary 2011 traffic fatality numbers indicate there were 720 deaths on Kentucky roadways last year. Of those, 49 percent were not wearing a seat belt and 16 percent were in alcohol-related accidents.  As of Feb. 28, Kentucky traffic fatalities for 2012 stood at 89. 

In a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study analyzing the impact of primary seat belt laws, the CDC found seat belt use rates are 9 percentage points higher in primary enforcement states than in states with secondary laws. Kentucky’s primary offense seat belt law, which requires the driver and all passengers to wear a properly adjusted and fastened seat belt, went into effect in 2006. At that time seat belt usage was under 70 percent in Kentucky. The state’s rate has increased to over 80 percent today. 

The CDC states that wearing a seat belt is the most effective way to prevent death and serious injury in a crash. The CDC found that seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45 percent, and cut the risk of serious injury by 50 percent. Still, one in seven people refuses to buckle up. 

Additional alarming statistics from the CDC related to seat belts include: 

• People not wearing a seat belt are 30 times more likely to be ejected from a vehicle during a crash. Of those ejected, more than three-fourths will die from their injuries.
• 53 percent of drivers and passengers killed in car crashes in 2009 were not wearing safety restraints.
• Seat belts saved almost 13,000 lives in 2009. If all drivers and passengers had worn seat belts that year, almost 4,000 more people would be alive today. 

“KSP wants to remind motorists not to become complacent when it comes to highway safety. We plan to be vigilant in enforcing seat belt laws and will continue targeting impaired drivers who endanger the lives of others,” KSP Spokesperson Lt. David Jude said. 

The KSP will continue to participate in national campaigns promoting safety, including the “Click It or Ticket” seat belt campaign and “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” impaired driving campaign. 

Our Kentucky car accident attorneys encourage all occupants in all vehicles to buckle up before the car starts moving. Other than a serious medical condition, there are no valid excuses for not wearing a seat belt. Make it a habit and buckle up every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle. It could save your life.