The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety is driving home a
safety message to motorists aimed at preventing crashes by encouraging two
life-saving actions behind the wheel-buckling up and putting down the phone.
Launching this week, the state’s first Buckle Up Phone Down
campaign features a new dedicated website, kyhighwaysafety.com, to help promote
the initiative.
According to KOHS, each year in Kentucky, distracted driving
results in more than 50,000 crashes, more than 15,000 injuries and
approximately 200 deaths. Distracted driving behaviors, like texting, emailing
and talking, are discouraged and drivers are advised to not interact with their
phone.
As of October 7th, preliminary numbers indicate
there have been 576 fatalities in 2019, up 21 compared to the same time last
year. Approximately 220 of those fatalities were unbelted and more than 120
involved distraction.