If you were on Kentucky roads over New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day 2024, you may not have realized the risk you were taking. The American Automobile Association (AAA) says the New Year’s holiday is among the deadliest times to be on the road. Since many holiday celebrations involve alcohol, a greater portion of drivers on the road are impaired around the holidays.
The National Safety Council (NSC) estimated that 375 people would die on U.S. roads during the 2024 New Year’s Day holiday period.
A quick scan of recent Kentucky headlines shows how dangerous the New Year’s holiday can be for motorists:
- An early morning crash in southwest Louisville kills 1 and injures another on New Year’s Day. Louisville Metro Police said a car was “traveling at a high rate of speed” when the driver lost control and ran off the road. The automobile went down an embankment, causing the passenger to be ejected and killed.
- Rollover crash on New Year’s Eve lands suspected drunk driver in jail. When deputies responded to the crash reported at 11:58 p.m. on December 31, 2023, they smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage and began a roadside DUI investigation.
- Car hit by CSX train on New Year’s Day in Kentucky, victims airlifted. A CSX train struck a car around midnight on January 1 when the car driver tried to cross tracks as the railroad crossing arms were lowering. The driver and passenger were both airlifted to the University of Louisville Hospital for treatment of their injuries.
The car accident lawyers at Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer can help you if someone has upended your holiday season and your life by injuring you in a car accident. You may be eligible to seek fair compensation for your medical treatment, lost work time, and more. Our personal injury lawyers are known for the Kentucky Courage they display in advocating for injured people. Our law firm has recovered millions of dollars for real Kentuckians struggling to pay medical bills and overcome serious injuries from car crashes — people just like you.
| Case Type | Settlement Amount |
|---|---|
| Auto Accident | $6,000,000 |
| Auto Accident | $3,500,000 |
| Motorcycle Accident | $3,318,118 |
Contact an experienced personal injury lawyer today for a free consultation to discuss whether an auto accident claim is appropriate. Our personal injury law firm has offices located across Kentucky in Lexington, Somerset, Manchester, London, North London, Hazard, Paducah, Paintsville, Prestonsburg, and Princeton.
Car Accidents Increasingly Common and Deadly in America
Statistics show that car crashes are happening more often across America and are more deadly since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 42,795 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes across the U.S. in 2022.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death in the United States for people ages 1–54 and have become the leading cause of death for U.S. teens. About eight teenagers ages 13–19 die every day from motor vehicle accident injuries.
Alcohol-related traffic deaths surged 14% from 2020 to 2021, accounting for 31% of overall traffic fatalities nationwide, according to the NHTSA. The 13,384 alcohol-related deaths represented the highest number since 2006.
In Kentucky, 190 people died in alcohol-related accidents in 2021, representing a quarter of the total traffic fatalities. More than 2,600 people were injured in alcohol-involved driving accidents.
A total of 10 people in Kentucky died in holiday car accidents involving alcohol at New Year’s in a recent five-year period. Each of these was a preventable death. People injured in accidents caused by drunk drivers during the holiday season and the families of car accident victims may have a right to recover compensation for their losses.
Let an experienced personal injury attorney review your accident and explain your legal options.
Increase in Pedestrian Fatalities
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), 2022 saw the largest number of pedestrians killed in America in more than 40 years. Between 2020 and 2021, pedestrian deaths increased 16%, while other traffic fatalities increased 10%. More alarmingly, the GHSA says, since 2010, pedestrian deaths have gone up a shocking 77%, compared to a 25% increase in all other traffic fatalities.
In Kentucky, pedestrian deaths in motor vehicle accidents increased from 76 in 2021 to 99 in 2022 — a 30.3% increase, GHSA says.
Statistics compiled by the Kentucky State Police show that most vehicles involved in collisions were passenger cars. More than a third of all collisions and 47% of fatal crashes occurred on Kentucky’s state-numbered routes.
A fourth of all motor vehicle accidents and 29% of fatal crashes occurred on weekends – Saturday and Sunday. Friday is the day of the week with the highest number of crashes in 2021. Tuesday has the lowest number of auto-related fatalities, on average. The most dangerous time to be on the road is 9 to 10 p.m.
October was the month with the highest number of accidents in Kentucky. February (the shortest month of the year) had the fewest collisions, according to the Kentucky State Police.
What Are The Leading Causes Of Car Accidents?
Most car accidents are caused by driver error, which occurs because of a driver’s carelessness or recklessness. Among the leading causes are:
- Speeding. Excessive speed reduces the time a driver has to react to avoid a crash, increases vehicle stopping distance, and reduces the ability of road safety structures, such as guardrails, to protect vehicle occupants in crashes. Speeding was a factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2021, killing 12,330.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol. A driver or motorcycle operator who has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher is considered legally intoxicated. Drunk driving accidents continue to be one of the biggest safety issues on U.S. roads, according to the National Safety Council. Alcohol impairs a driver’s ability to recognize hazardous situations and react to avoid accidents. In 2021, 13,384 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes, the most deaths recorded since 2006. During the 2021 New Year’s holiday period, 40% of fatalities involved an alcohol-impaired driver.
- Distracted driving. The wide use of smartphones has made distracted driving a significant traffic safety issue. Conventional distractions, such as interacting with passengers, daydreaming, and eating, also contribute to many crashes.
- Drowsy driving. Like alcohol, sleepiness can slow your reaction time, decrease awareness of your surroundings, impair judgment, and increase the risk of crashing if you are driving a car. Any driver can become fatigued, but 55% of drowsy driving crashes involve drivers under 25 years old.
- Aggressive driving. The NHTSA defines aggressive driving as the operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger persons or property. Aggressive driving occasionally escalates to road rage. The AAA says millions of drivers admitted engaging in angry and aggressive behaviors within 30 days of answering AAA’s survey.
- Adverse weather conditions. Nearly 6,500 fatal crashes and over 450,000 injury crashes are attributed to bad weather each year. Wet pavement and rain were the top two contributors to weather-related automobile crashes, based on 10-year averages, followed by winter weather hazards such as ice and snow. Drivers should slow down, allow more space between vehicles, and avoid hard braking when bad weather decreases visibility and makes roads slick.
Consequences of Car Accidents
Car accidents cause serious injuries and deaths and change lives forever. The costs include the physical pain and suffering of accident victims and the emotional trauma borne by injured people and their family members. There are economic costs, as well.
In 2019, 36,500 people were killed, and 4.5 million people were injured in motor vehicle crashes in the United States, NHTSA says in a February 2023 report. The economic costs of these crashes totaled $340 billion, including the cost of:
- Emergency services
- Medical care
- Workplace losses
- Lost household productivity
- Property damage
- Traffic congestion (travel delay, excess fuel consumption, greenhouse gases, and criteria pollutants)
- Legal and court costs
- Insurance administration.
The losses are equivalent to $1,035 for each of the 328 million people living in the United States.
In 2019, seat belts prevented 14,653 fatalities and 450,000 injuries, saving $93 billion in medical care, lost productivity, and other injury-related costs, NHTSA says.
Speak to a Kentucky Car Accident Lawyer About Your Losses
During the holidays, more drunk drivers are on the road, increasing the risk of alcohol-related accidents. A serious car accident can have a serious impact on your life, your health, and your family’s well-being. After a car crash caused by another motorist, you may have a legal right to file a personal injury claim and seek financial compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and losses suffered in a car accident if someone else was at fault.
If you or your loved one has been seriously injured in a car wreck in Kentucky over the holidays, it’s important to talk to an experienced personal injury attorney about your legal options. The personal injury attorneys at Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer handle car accident claims on a contingency fee basis. You won’t be charged any attorney fees for our legal services unless we are successful in securing money for you in a negotiated settlement or jury award. Let us help you demand a settlement from the insurance company that covers your losses and restores your financial stability.
Hit the brakes on your pain! Whether you’ve been slammed in a car crash, tripped on a treacherous sidewalk, or suffered any other personal injury, Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer personal injury attorneys are by your side. Get a free consultation today and let our legal warriors fight for the compensation you deserve. Don’t wait – justice delayed is justice denied.
