The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is urging drivers to make safety a priority during the busy Thanksgiving travel period.
Officials remind motorists that wearing a seat belt is required by state law and emphasize the importance of avoiding distracted driving by staying alert and keeping phones out of reach while behind the wheel.
Over the past decade, distracted driving has become one of the leading causes of crashes nationwide. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says any action that takes a driver’s eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or attention away from driving poses a serious hazard.
Texting while driving is especially dangerous because it involves visual, manual, and cognitive distraction at the same time. Even brief moments of inattention can dramatically raise the risk of a collision.
Data from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Office of Highway Safety shows that distracted driving and driver inattention contribute to more than 40,000 crashes each year in Kentucky, resulting in more than 11,000 injuries and over 150 deaths.
NHTSA reports that seat belts significantly reduce the risk of death—by 45% for front-seat passengers and by 60% for those in pickups, SUVs, and minivans. Properly worn seat belts distribute crash forces across stronger parts of the body, reducing the chance of severe injury.
According to the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety, nearly half of all people killed in motor vehicle crashes in the state each year are not wearing a seat belt.
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