CAR CRASH FATALITIES CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN WARREN COUNTY

According to data recently released by both the Kentucky State Police and Highway Safety Office, 2016 marked yet another year of increases when it comes to fatal Kentucky car crashes. In fact, 834 traffic-related deaths occurred last year in the state, some 73 more deaths over the previous year.

Of the different counties throughout the state, Warren County experienced the third highest amount of fatalities at 20, its highest number of traffic-related deaths this entire decade. Jefferson and Fayette countries were the only ones that had more than Warren. According to representatives with Bowling Green’s State Police force, among the most serious of accidents that occurred in the city this past year were those that involved distracted drivers.

Kentucky State Police Post 3, a jurisdiction that encompasses not only Warren county, but seven other ones as well, saw an increase in fatal car crashes. The number in 2016 reached 57, five more deaths than what was seen in the same territory in 2015.

With respect to the fatalities that occurred statewide, some 50.9 percent were found to have resulted from a lack of use of a seat belt and 16.8 were thought to have resulted from driver intoxication. Of what remains, 36 percent were believed to have been directly related to speeding and another 23 percent were thought to have resulted from driver distraction.

Aggressive driving, whether it be tailgating or driving unlawfully within construction zones, is responsible for a large amount of accidents. This type of driver error accounts for 90 percent of all car wrecks each year according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

For its part, the State Police maintains an active database of the state’s problem areas and increases police presence in those areas at the times that collisions have been shown to be most prone to occur. As an example of this, police presence along I-65 or during holiday periods may be particularly high until a decrease in accidents is achieved.

To date, there have been 210 fatal car crashes statewide, some 16 less than the previous year’s number at the same time. For the families of those who lost their lives because of another driver’s error, they can hopeful find some degree of solace in knowing that, in working with a Bowling Green car crash attorney, they can recover expenses associated with funeral costs among others.

Source: bgdailynews.com, “Road fatalities on the rise locally, statewide,” Justin Story, April 28, 2017