LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB/WBKO) — Kentucky is experiencing an increase in highway fatalities after three years of decline, according to data from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced the increase last week during his weekly Team Kentucky update.
According to KYTC spokesperson Naitore Djigbenou, 402 people had died on Kentucky interstates as of early August 2026.
Kentucky ended 2025 with 664 traffic deaths. With about four months left in the year, Djigbenou said this year's number is already "not where we want to be."
KYTC said several factors are contributing to the increase, including distracted, impaired and aggressive driving. But Djigbenou said nearly half of the people involved in fatal crashes also aren't taking one basic safety precaution: wearing a seat belt.
"We’ve seen sadly an increase in the number of people who are not wearing seat belts," Djigbenou said. "Usually, it’s about 50% of people that are in these crashes are not wearing seat belts. So that’s something that if you just make that choice to buckle up, make sure everyone in your car is buckled up, that would make a big difference."
The transportation cabinet is taking a number of actions to help curb this trend, including funding educational campaigns and constructing safer roadways.
"Doing things like roundabouts or what’s called our cuts," Djigbenou said. "These are things that can lessen the severity of crashes should they occur, while still keeping traffic moving. So, you’ll see a lot of communities are seeing a lot more of these new types of designs and interchanges that make things safer, so that if a crash occurs, the potential of it being fatal is reduced."
KYTC also launched its "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign Thursday, which runs through Labor Day. It's part of a broader effort to improve highway safety and discourage impaired driving.
Click here for more information on drunk driving.
"It’s not too late for us to turn the tide if people do the right thing on the road," Djigbenou said
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