It only takes a split-second for a devastating car crash to occur. The results are often tragic, with victims being left with permanent disability, ongoing pain or death. In fact, 2022 alone saw 744 Kentuckians killed in car crashes. More than 19,000 people were injured in wrecks during that year. These numbers are staggering given that they mean you have a 1 in 153 chance of being injured in a car accident on Kentucky’s roadways, and statistics show that you have a 1 in 22 chance of being involved in any kind of crash.
The damage caused by these accidents are crushing to families, leaving them struggling to find answers as to how the wreck that hurt or killed their loved one occurred, and how they’re going to get by in light of the physical, emotional and financial losses that their family experiences as a result of the wreck. Hopefully we can provide some answers here, starting with the common causes of Kentucky’s crashes.
What are the top causes of Kentucky car accidents?
As you’d expect, there are several causes of car accidents in Kentucky. Let’s look at some of the most common so that you know what to look out for when you’re out on the road:
- Inattention: Lack of attention is by far the biggest contributing factor to Kentucky’s accidents, contributing to nearly 39,000 accidents in 2022, resulting in 134 fatalities. This is a pretty broad category and can include anything from taking your eyes off the road to look at something off to the side or losing sight of the road as you search for something inside the cabin of the vehicle.
- Not under proper control: According to state statistics, this category is responsible for more than 14,000 accidents and 214 deaths in 2022. Inattention can certainly lead to control issues, but so, too, can failure to account for weather conditions, speeding and weaving through traffic, which are all other categories identified by the state as contributing factors to accidents.
- Failure to yield: Slightly more than 12,000 accidents and 85 deaths were caused by a failure to yield. This can include not yielding to a pedestrian at a crosswalk or failing to yield to traffic that has the right of way. Oftentimes accidents caused by a failure to yield occur at a high rate of speed, which can increase the severity of any resulting injuries. Proceed with caution when you’re in an area where yielding is required.
- Following too closely: This characteristic was responsible for more than 6,000 accidents in 2022 and 5 traffic fatalities. Though the death rate may be lower for this accident type, there were likely several injuries that resulted from crashes stemming from following too closely. If you see a driver following you too closely, you should be sure to move over and let them pass, if possible. And you should be sure to give three or four seconds of lead time to a vehicle in front of you so that you don’t inadvertently cause one of these wrecks.
Be prepared to take legal action after being injured in a Kentucky car accident
There are, of course, lots of other causes of Kentucky’s accidents. This includes speeding, fatigue, intoxication, cell phone use and improper passing, just to name a few. If you or a loved one has been injured in one of these wrecks, then you need to find a way to secure accountability and recover much needed compensation. The best way to do that is to pursue a personal injury lawsuit. If that’s something you want to learn more about, then now is the time to read up on what it takes to build an effective claim. We hope you find our website a good starting point for doing that.
