Preliminary statistics indicate that fourteen people died in eleven separate crashes on Kentucky's roadways during the official Memorial Day holiday period.
The holiday period began at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, May 25 and ended at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 28.
Four single-fatality crashes involved motor vehicles and three of the victims were not wearing seat belts. These crashes occurred in Barren, Harrison, Perry and Russell counties.
Three double-fatality crashes occurred in Harrison, Ohio, and Wayne counties. Crashes in Harrison and Ohio counties involved motor vehicles and none of the victims were wearing seat belts.
The crash in Wayne County involved a motorcycle and neither victim was wearing a helmet. The suspected use of alcohol was a factor in all three of these double fatality crashes.
Four single-fatality crashes involved motorcycles. Crashes occurred in Boone, Breathitt, Lewis and Scott counties. Two of the victims were not wearing helmets.
Through May 28, preliminary statistics indicate that 285 people have lost their lives on Kentucky roadways during 2012. This is 39 more than reported for the same time period in 2011. There were 241 motor vehicle fatalities and 141 of those victims were not wearing seat belts.
Thirty of those crashes involved a commercial motor vehicle. Nineteen pedestrians have been killed. Twenty-one fatalities involved a motorcycle, 1 involved a bicycle and 3 involved an ATV. A total of fifty-one fatalities have resulted from crashes involving the suspected use of alcohol.
Citizens can contribute to highway safety by reporting erratic drivers to the Kentucky State Police toll-free at 1-800-222-5555. Callers will remain anonymous and should give a description of the vehicle, location, direction of travel and license number if possible.
These statistics are still preliminary as KSP waits for all local law enforcement agencies throughout the state to report any crashes and fatalities that may have occurred in their areas.
