Last year was one of the deadliest years on the roads in Lexington’s history, when 52 people, including 20 pedestrians, died in traffic crashes in Fayette County.
That was the most traffic fatalities in a single year since 2011, when Kentucky State Police began collecting data.
Lexington officials, including Mayor Linda Gorton, vowed at the time to make improving traffic safety a top priority.
And so far this year the numbers have dropped dramatically.
Through last Saturday, there had been only 16 fatal collisions in Fayette County this year, killing 19 people, according to KSP data, compared to 33 during the same period last year.
And of the 16 fatal accidents this year, only four involved pedestrians.
Lexington Police Lt. Chris Van Brackel said in an interview he attributes the decline to several things, including a greater emphasis on seat belt use and ongoing projects to improve Lexington’s streets.
Even though the number of road deaths has decreased significantly compared to the same period last year, authorities point out that the number of road deaths usually increases sharply in late summer and early autumn.
And that was the case this year too. Since August 6, six people have died in crashes, the most recent of which occurred on Tates Creek Road and killed two teenagers, 18-year-old Hasan Mohammad Hasan of Paloma Hills, Illinois, and 13-year-old Omar Shalash of Lexington, on Tates Creek Road.
Since 2011, September has been the deadliest month in Lexington, with 3.8 fatal crashes per year. August and June have 3.2 fatal crashes per year, and October and November make up the top half of the deadliest months of the year.
Trend or anomaly?
Although there was a sharp increase in the number of pedestrian fatalities last year, this was also an outlier. From 2019 to 2022, only 18 pedestrians were killed by vehicles in Fayette County. Last year alone, there were even more.
Christopher Evilia, transportation planning manager at the Lexington Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, said one problem with analyzing crash data is the many variables that contribute to the results.
“One year can be a really bad year, the next a really good year, and there is not necessarily a direct connection between the number of accidents or the number of injuries and the strategy,” Evilia said.
It’s too early to say exactly why the number of accidents rose so sharply last year, Van Brackel said, and a few more years of data will likely be needed to determine whether it was just an anomaly.
However, the decline in pedestrian deaths this year was the result of targeted efforts, he said.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or how big you are, the motor vehicle will win,” Van Brackel said. “That’s why we’ve really tried to push pedestrian safety through an education campaign over the last year.”
Influencing factors
Van Brackel said several factors contributed to this year’s decline in fatal crashes, but one particular reason was the department’s heavy emphasis on issuing tickets for not wearing seat belts.
“If you are wearing a seat belt and you are involved in an accident, you have a better chance of surviving the accident,” Van Brackel said.
In Kentucky, drivers are fined $25 for each person in their vehicle who is not wearing a seatbelt.
Since 2006, when Kentucky passed its seat belt law, seat belt use rates in Kentucky have increased from 67% to about 90%, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
Van Brackel said officers don’t enjoy issuing tickets, but it helps raise awareness about seat belt use.
“It’s a way to change driving behavior,” Van Brackel said. “People talk. ‘Hey, I just got a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt.’ ‘Oh, I better start wearing my seatbelt so I don’t end up being like my friend and getting a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt.'”
What is being done to improve road safety?
Established in 1974, the Lexington Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is a state-funded and locally managed program designed to improve roadway safety in Fayette and Jessamine counties.
Evilia said the goal of the MPO is to prevent traffic fatalities and serious accidents in the future. He ultimately wants to prevent the data from getting worse, but hopes there will be no traffic fatalities by 2050.
“Our fundamental mission is to get people and goods safely from point A to point B in a timely manner,” Evilia said.
One way to achieve this goal, according to Evilia, is to redesign and adapt Lexington’s street map. The MPO analyzes the street network and identifies conflict points at intersections.
For example, at a typical traffic light intersection, there are 32 potential conflict points – areas where at least two vehicles can come together at one point, says Evilia. At a roundabout, there are only eight.
Evilia acknowledged that redesigning the road plan will take decades. In the meantime, the MPO is pursuing several short-term goals, including forming a panel of experts to discuss strategies to improve safety and hiring a road coordinator.
In December, the federal government awarded Lexington nearly $22 million to renovate New Circle Road on the city’s north side. The projects include new intersections and bike and pedestrian paths.
“We won’t prevent accidents. We know that,” said Evilia. “But if we reduce the risk of accidents, it will have a positive impact.”
