Two hundred and twenty out of 471 car accident-related deaths that occurred in Kentucky in 2024 involved people who weren’t wearing (or were improperly wearing) seat belts or booster seats, according to the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety.
In light of this, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is taking part in a national “Click It or Ticket” campaign from May 12 to June 1.
“Wearing a seat belt is the simplest, most effective way to protect yourself and the people you care about,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray in a press release. “Buckling up should be second nature – every time, every ride. It’s a small action that makes a big difference.”
When worn properly, seat belts reduce the risk of vehicular death by 45% for front-seat passengers and drivers and by 60% for occupants in larger vehicles, like minivans, trucks and SUVs, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Fatal crashes are more likely to occur at night. “Of the 471 occupants killed in motor vehicle crashes [in Kentucky], at least 185 occurred at night,” according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. “Of those, more than 90 were unrestrained.”
“It only takes two seconds to fasten your seat belt – and those two seconds could save your life,” said Gov. Andy Beshear in the same release. “We want everyone to buckle up, every trip. Let’s look out for one another and make sure we all get to where we’re going and come back home, safely.”
You can find more data about traffic accidents and fatalities in the commonwealth at the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety’s website.