701 Fatalities On Ky. Roads In 2011

(Frankfort, Ky.) - Fatalities are down on Kentucky roads for 2011, with many being blamed on victims not usign seatbelts or the involvement of alcohol.

Figures from the Kentucky State Police shows 701 people died in car accidents for the year as of Tuesday, December 27. That's down from 750 in 2010.

"There are several reasons for that, which include our educational efforts, our enforcement efforts and engineering efforts," Kentucky State Police spokesman David Jude said. "However, the largest credit goes to the driving public, because when they make changes in their behaviors and attitudes toward driving their vehicles, we see great changes in safety, which leads to a reduction in collisions, injuries and fatalities."

The number of roadway fatalities in Kentucky has declined each year since 2007. There were 771 in 2009, 797 in 2008 and 845 in 2007.

The state police said 287 of the fatal crash victims were not wearing seat belts. 

A total of 118 fatalities have resulted from crashes involving the suspected use of alcohol. 

Sixty-four of those crashes involved a commercial motor vehicle. Sixty-one crashes involved a motorcycle and thirty-four victims were not wearing helmets.  Twenty-five crashes involved an ATV and twenty-one victims were not wearing helmets.  Fifty-three crashes involved pedestrians and two involved a bicycle. Two crashes involved a scooter and two involved a horse-drawn vehicle.