State Says Gas Prices Affecting Highway Fatalities

The Transportation Cabinet reports Kentucky is on pace to have the lowest number of highway fatalities in at least 65 years. 

A gallon of gas Wednesday evening on Winchester Road cost $2.35.  Transportation Cabinet Spokesperson Chuck Wolfe says the lower the price of gas, the more drivers there are, and the farther they drive. 

Last year 638 people in Kentucky lost their lives in highway crashes, the fewest since 1949.  Since about 2008 when gas hit $4 a gallon, the state has seen a decrease in highway fatalities. 

"Through most of the year, we were running well below the daily tracking totals until October," said Wolfe.

Wolfe said gas prices started dropping in October.  

So far in 2014, Kentucky has had 601 fatal highway crashes.  Through the same number of days in 2013, there were 608 fatal crashes.

"The gap started closing between this year and last year and it started closing rather dramatically," said wolfe.

Wolfe reminded people not to text and drive.