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One dead, one injured in WKP crash

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One person is dead and another seriously injured following an accident on the Western Kentucky Parkway in Hardin County.

“On Sunday, May 5 at approximately 10:48 p.m. the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 126 mile marker on the WK Parkway for a reported motor vehicle accident.” said Hardin County Sheriff John Ward. 

Upon the arrival of deputies, both of the involved vehicles were engulfed in flames.

“The operator of unit one – Roger B. Wilson, age 38, of Elizabethtown – was pronounced dead at the scene of the Hardin County Coroner,” Ward said. “The operator of unit two was transported by helicopter to the University of Louisville Hospital with life-threatening injuries.”

The Hardin County Sheriff’s Office’s Accident Reconstruction Team’s investigation into the accident is ongoing. The Western Kentucky Parkway was closed in both directions for several hours after the accident.

KY From Above offers accessible map views of the commonwealth

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The Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet says Kentucky is the first state in the country to capture side and angle view photography of its entire geography from the sky.

Pilots working for contractor NV5 flew 2,600 flight lines over 117,000 miles to capture images of more than 40,000 square miles of Kentucky’s cities, towns, farms, and natural areas to create the KY From Above program.

The program was established in 2010 by the Kentucky Geographic Information Advisory Council with the mission of creating access to geographic information in the state by providing detailed elevation data and aerial photography at no cost to Kentuckians. The accuracy and clarity of the images captured provides context for hundreds of map layers used by state and local government agencies. 

The state also says the program will improve public safety as first responders will be able to use it to help on accident responses and search and rescue missions, and emergency management leaders will be able to use the program when assessing damage after a disaster.

You can access the program by visiting www.kyfromabove.ky.gov.

Highway fatalities up in Kentucky in 2023

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The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says there were 813 highway fatalities on Kentucky roadways in 2023, an increase from the 744 seen in 2022.

The KYTC’s Office of Highway Safety says in those fatal accidents, 51 percent of victims were not wearing a seatbelt. 33 percent of the accidents involved speeding or aggressive driving, 20 percent involved distracted drivers, and 16 percent involved alcohol.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says wearing a seatbelt is the single most effective way of preventing injury or death in a traffic accident. Seatbelt use and the dangers of drunk driving continue to be the primary subjects of most public awareness campaigns.

The KYTC says it continues to focus on infrastructure projects that improve safety for everybody on the roadway, including a pilot project set to begin this summer that will test systems that detect and deter wrong-way crashes along select interstate ramps in Fayette and Jefferson counties. 

Preliminary numbers for 2024 report 170 roadway deaths, which is down more than 13 percent compared to this time last year.

Clean around appliances and check on dryer lent to help reduce fire risk

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Spring is in full swing, and people are sprucing up their houses and yards as they welcome the warmer weather.

Radcliff Deputy Fire Marshal Tommy Crane says as you go about your spring cleaning, don’t forget about your appliances.

“Just make sure that when you’re cleaning, clean places that you might not normally like behind refrigerators or dryers, a lot of those that have motors where the dust and things like that can build up,” Crane said. “Try to clean those, vacuum around and behind those at least once a year.”

Crane says not only does it reduce the risk for fire, it also helps extend the life of the appliance.

While cleaning your dryer, don’t forget about making sure lent isn’t building up.

“We tell you always make sure you’re cleaning the lint filter during each time you dry, but also during the spring, maybe pull the dryer out, clean the hose or the pipe that goes to the outside of the house to make sure that’s clean and free of lint because that will build up and could cause a fire,” Crane said.

Also check to make sure the dryer exhaust outside the house is clear, as there is potential for it to become clogged due to lent and animals or other pests.

“Just make sure that it’s free and clear, that it’s got good air movement,” Crane said. “If you do live in an area where, say, birds and other pests are a problem, and you put a screen over there, make sure you’re checking the screen because the lint will build up even easier there.”

More fire safety tips can be found on the Kentucky State Fire Marshal’s website.