Transportation is the action of getting from one place to another. In some communities, some types of transport may be more available. Types of transportation may include:
• Buses
• Passenger train services
• Personal vehicles (cars, motorcycles, bicycles)
• Planes
• Boats
Why is this important?
Reliable transportation can impact quality of life. Having access to transportation does the following:
• Allow people to get healthy food from grocery stores and farmers markets
• Increase a person’s ability to access health care related services
• Improve access to jobs and other financial opportunities
• Increase physical activity
What is known?
Kentucky's Transportation Cabinet maintains the states transport. It includes 27,438 miles of roads, 160 licensed airports, 23 public transportation systems. It also registered 2.7 million licensed drivers and 3.4 million vehicles annually. According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet:
• Kentucky's transit buses provide about 31 millions rides a year
• Kentucky’s elderly and disabled populations take nearly 3 millions trips per year.
• The education system takes over 2.5 million trips annually
• Over 11 million work-based trips are taken each year
Also, Kentucky’s public transit is divided by systems, including:
• 3 large urban systems: TARC, TANK, Lextran
• 6 Small urban Systems: Ashland, Owensboro, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, and Henderson
• 26 suburban and rural Systems (they provide transport in nearly every county in the state)
Who is at risk?
Transportation may cause issues for different people. Some people may find they do not have good access to transport due to income and location. Urban areas are more likely to have public transport.
Other people may be more likely to experience traffic accidents. Those more likely to have traffic accidents or serious injuries include:
• Bikers or cyclists
• New or inexperienced drivers
• Older drivers
• Distracted drivers
• Men
Reducing risk
Many steps can reduce the risk of injuries from traffic accidents. Some of these steps include:
• Wearing a seatbelt
• Avoiding distractions
• Speaking up if you are a passenger in a car in which the driver is distracted
• Not drinking and driving
• Practicing defensive driving and following traffic laws
• Using booster seats for children
• Wearing a helmet if you are a biker or cyclist
• Wearing reflective clothing at night
Consider enrolling in a defensive driving course. It may reduce your chance of a traffic accident. Defensivedriving.org says that people who were enrolled in courses were found to have lower fatality rates.
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