Department of Highways, District 6
Moment of Silence to Remember the 985 Lives Lost on Kentucky Highways

Moment of Silence to Remember the 985 Lives Lost on Kentucky Highways

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Wants

 Motorists to Drive Safely

Covington, Kentucky – (May 23, 2006) - Victims of traffic accidents on Kentucky highways in 2005 were remembered today at the Florence Welcome Center in Boone County.  A plate was placed on the Highway Victims Memorial.  The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6 had a moment of silence to remember the lives lost. 

While several states have markers for employees killed in the line of duty, Kentucky was the first state to erect permanent memorials for citizens who died on the roadways.  Monuments to remember the persons who lost their lives are located at the state’s eight welcome centers, the rest area at Slade and in front of the Kentucky Transportation headquarters in Frankfort.  A bronze plate with the “985” number will be added at each of these locations.  The number of fatalities for the previous nine years is also listed on the plaque. 

Hopefully as motorists see the signs they will pause and reflect on the lives lost and their responsibility for safety on the roads.

Unfortunately, 2005 was the highest recorded fatality rate in Kentucky since 1973.

 “About every 9 hours someone is killed in a motor vehicle crash in Kentucky,” said Nancy Wood District 6 Public Information Officer, “and that individual was the most important person in the world to someone.” 

More than half (560) of the victims on Kentucky’s roadways were not wearing seat belts.  The crash victims ranged in age from 0 to 97 and 148 were under the age of 19. Alcohol was a factor in 240 of the crashes.

Every county in Kentucky had a fatality except for Robertson County.

Governor Ernie Fletcher recently signed the Primary Seatbelt legislation into law.   Beginning July 1^st law enforcement officers can pull people over for simply not wearing a seatbelt.  For the remainder of this year, a warning will be issued to all unbuckled people in a vehicle.  Beginning January 1, 2007 law enforcement officers will issue a ticket to the driver for every one in the car that is not wearing a seatbelt.  That’s $25 for each unbuckled passenger.

Trooper Shain Stephens with Kentucky State Police Post 6 reaffirmed the importance of seatbelts. “The national average is approximately 80% of motorists who wear their seatbelts.  In Kentucky we are at 67% seatbelt usage.”  Trooper Stephens also said, “We can save a lot of lives if people would buckle their seatbelts.  Our mortality rate would go down, no question.”

The state ranks 47th nationally in seat belt usage.  It is projected in recent research from the University of Kentucky’s Transportation Center that there will be at least 62 fewer fatalities in the upcoming 2007 year with the enforcement of the Primary Seatbelt law.

As the summer travel season begins, the public is reminded to buckle up, drive smart and stay alert for road crew workers making improvements to the highways.