Driving in Kentucky is a privilege that you are well advised to exercise cautiously. Most areas in the state are well-maintained and perfectly safe to navigate. However, certain areas in the eastern part of the state can pose problems. These are places where drivers are urged to show more than the normal level of awareness.
Eastern Kentucky roads can be dangerous
There are several roads in the east of Kentucky where the chances of a motor vehicle accident become much higher than normal. Recent studies have confirmed that 2,052 crashes occurred in the state. These occurred between 2017 and 2019, meaning plenty more have happened since then.
The number of crashes was very high in proportion to the total number of road miles in Kentucky, which was listed at 166,971. The study examined 807 roads, many of which were in the eastern sector of the state. Root causes for most accidents included distracted driving, drunk or impaired driving, falling asleep, and issues caused by winter weather.
US-25, a highway that stretches from State Road Champ to Fariston Road was named as the most dangerous area in the entire state. A total of nine fatal accidents occurred here between 2017 to 2019. However, other areas in this part of Kentucky, such as SR-1747 and SR-1447, also made the list. These are places where a maximum of caution is advised.
What are the main causes of accidents?
Highways and rural roads in Kentucky offer more than their share of dangers. The most common causes of accidents was drunk driving. This accounted for 24% of all accidents recorded in the state. The second leading cause was speeding, which amounted to 15% of all recorded accidents.
Other leading causes of collisions included distracted driving, which contributed 18% to the total. A recent study ranked Kentucky as the third worst state in accidents caused by distracted driving. US-31W in Jefferson County was the road that recorded the highest number of fatal accidents in the state.