Thanksgiving is the most dangerous holiday of the year for motorists, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
This includes the four-day holiday driving period surrounding that date when heavy traffic, weather and long-distance road trips combine to create severe travel conditions. Often, family celebrations include alcohol, which later evolves into impaired driving. Add that to heavy holiday traffic, and you have a recipe for disaster.
Last year, traffic crashes across Kentucky claimed the lives of eight people during the Thanksgiving travel period. One fatal crash involved alcohol and three deaths resulted from not wearing a seatbelt.
Who is more likely to not wear a seat belt? NHTSA says in fatal crashes, males are more likely to be unbuckled (53 percent) than females (40 percent) and drivers aged 13–15 and 25–34 account for 59 percent of the fatalities.
“The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is traditionally one of the most traveled weekends of the year,” says KSP Spokesman Trooper Josh Brashears. “All motorists should make safety their top priority this weekend,” says Brashears. “To ensure drivers are doing that, officers will be on Kentucky roadways looking for unsafe driving practices, including safety belt and impaired driving violations.”
“It’s the simple, common sense things that can make a crucial difference such as wearing a seat belt, reducing your speed and avoiding driving after consuming alcohol,” adds Brashears.
KSP will participate in the official 2016 Thanksgiving holiday enforcement period that begins Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 6 p.m. and extends through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 27.
Citizens can contribute to highway safety by calling KSP toll-free at 1-800-222-5555 or download the free KSP mobile phone app. The app provides quick, direct access to KSP including weather, road and traffic information as well as text, voice and photo tip capabilities to report criminal behavior. The app is available for iPhone, iPad and Android applications and can be easily downloaded free of charge through Apple and Google Play stores.
