By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
With the holidays quickly approaching, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) reminds drivers of two important lifesaving actions – buckling up and putting the phone down every time they enter a vehicle.
“The holiday season is one of the busiest travel times of the year, so we’re asking Kentuckians to buckle up and put the phone down in an effort to protect themselves and other families traveling on the road,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “These basic steps can save lives and keep our most precious cargo – our Kentucky families – safe on the road.”
Over the past decade, distracted driving has become one of the leading causes of vehicle crashes on our nation’s roads. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), while anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road, hands off the wheel or mind off the task of driving is a hazard, texting and the use of a phone while driving is especially risky because it combines all three types of distraction – visual, manual and cognitive.
KOHS data shows that distracted driving results in more than 50,000 crashes, over 15,000 injuries and around 200 deaths annually.
“Preventable deaths and injuries are the hardest ones to accept,” said Transportation Secretary Jim Gray. “These are not just numbers. These are people – mothers, fathers, sons, daughters – that either didn’t survive or their lives were seriously altered due to someone not making a safe choice when behind the wheel.”
The NHTSA says when worn correctly, seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45% for front-seat vehicle occupants and 60% for pickup truck, SUV and minivan occupants.
Properly fastened seat belts contact the strongest parts of the body, such as the chest, hips and shoulders. A seat belt spreads the force of a crash over a wide area of the body, putting less stress on any one part and allows the body to slow down with the crash, extending the time when crash forces are felt by the occupant.
“Sometimes even the most attentive drivers are involved in a crash caused by other drivers,” Gray stated. “A seat belt provides protection against a speeding, distracted or drunken driver, so please buckle up to help you and your loved ones make it home safely.”
KOHS adds more than half of those killed in motor vehicles each year in Kentucky are not wearing a seat belt.