KSP Post 3 sees 12 times as many wrecks in last 24 hours

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – As of mid afternoon August 31st, Kentucky State Police Post 3 said that a day prior, they drove to only two wrecks. In the last 24 hours, they’ve worked 25 collisions, almost all of those on I-65. 

KSP Post 3 Trooper Daniel Priddy said that in heavy rain, it’s important people start slowing their cars down sooner than normal to avoid wrecks. 

Also, visibility is always a problem in heavy rainfall, so Priddy said people should follow a safe distance behind the vehicle in front of them and slow down, because the speed limits are set for ideal weather conditions. 

He said it only takes a foot of rushing water to sweep a car away. 

For the sake of responding officers, to Priddy asks drivers to follow the state’s Move Over law, especially in heavy wreck areas like I-65.  

“In weather like this, we work a lot of collisions out there. For the safety of the occupants that we are out with and for us, we want people to try to slow down,” Priddy said. “Remember if you see emergency equipment, emergency flashing lights on the side of the road that it is a law in Kentucky for you to move over if you safely can.”

But sometimes, driving safety in rainy weather means more than just stepping on the break. Sometimes it means choosing the right path, figuratively and literally 

Warren County Deputy Director of Emergency Management Travis Puckett said that he wants all the police, fire and EMS Rescue units in Warren County to make it home safely… a reality that many times goes unanswered when drivers choose to ignore road closures and drive in dangerous roadways.

“It’s not only endangering you or whoever’s in your car, but you’re also endangering the first responder that is coming to get you as well,” cautioned Puckett. 

In Warren County alone, about 200 heroes volunteer for free to save people trapped in situations like flooding. They are joined by over 100 paid volunteers in the Bowling Green Fire Department. 

“We leave our supper table, and we leave our families to get out for free and go help somebody that’s a need,” said Puckett. “It’s really frustrating when you get onto a water rescue that a car just submerged in the water, and you found out that they went around a barricade. Those barricades are there for a reason, and those reasons are not only to keep you safe as a citizen driving that vehicle yes, but it’s also because once you put yourself in that harms way, they’re coming to get you.”