Good news tonight about safety on Kentucky roads.

The state says Kentucky's traffic deaths fell in 2020 for 707 people died on Kentucky roads, but that's down 107 from 2023.

And it's the smallest number in the last ten years.

Of the 707 deaths, 47% of the victims weren't wearing seatbelts and 19% of the crashes involved alcohol.

Driver distraction was a factor in 22% of crashes.

Lori Weaver Hawkins with triple A of the bluegrass, says that number is likely much higher.

We know that distracted driving is underreported.

That's because it's much more difficult to say that a driver, that caused a crash was distracted.

Distractions.

Not only by a mobile phone, which is by far, of course, the biggest distraction, but it can be other things as well.

A driver could have dropped something on the floor, the car off the seat and tried to reach down to get it.

They could be adjusting their climate controls or their entertainment or their navigation.

Things like just trying to eat while you're driving.

They go through a fast food, drive through and get some food and a drink.

That's a distraction.

Other people in the car can be a distraction.

And so all of those are really hard to document and even use of the mobile phone or smartphone while you're driving.

Can be difficult to say for certainty that that was the distraction.

And once the driver admits it.

So we know that the 22%, is probably far, far, low compared to reality.

We've all, pulled up to the intersection, and when the light turns, we see somebody just sit there.

Most likely they are distracted by their smartphone.

Or you see people wandering from one lane to the other.

They're on their phone.

Almost certainly.

And so you don't have to drive very far, to see people dangerously, driving because they're distracted.

Weaver Hawkins says the number one thing drivers can do to reduce the possibility of a serious crash is to slow down.