By Jim Hannah
Enquirer staff writer

Traffic crashes on Kentucky roadways killed 14 people - three in Northern Kentucky - during the Labor Day holiday weekend.

The deaths occurred in 10 crashes in 10 counties across the state, including Boone, Bracken and Kenton counties. State police said alcohol was a suspected factor in three of the wrecks, but none in Northern Kentucky involved alcohol. Ten 10 of the victims were not wearing seat belts.

"These statistics are terrible," said Capt. Brad Bates, spokesman for Kentucky State Police. "These numbers are higher than we have seen in recent years."

The number of traffic deaths for the same holiday period has held steady after a sudden jump in 2001, according to the Kentucky State Police Web page. In both 2003 and 2002, 11 people died during the holiday. In 2001, 12 people died. And in 2000, five died.

The official Labor Day holiday period this year ran from 6 p.m. Friday though 11:59 p.m. Monday.

Bates said this year's figure was disappointing because the state is in the middle of a federally funded campaign to reduce the number of traffic fatalities by targeting drunken drivers.

The crackdown runs through Sept. 12and combines traffic patrols with a $14 million national advertising campaign that included television and radio spots in Kentucky. State police are participating in the program along with many local agencies, such as the Boone County Sheriff's Department.

As of Monday, 636 people had died in traffic crashes in Kentucky this year, up from 619 at the same time a year ago.

"We are ahead of our pace for last year," said Bates. "We are on pace to have the highest number of traffic fatalities in 30 years. We are struggling with the problem and trying to keep the enforcement up."

While he couldn't point to one factor for the increase, he said speeding continues to be one of the leading factors in crashes.

He said buckling up could reduce the number of facilities. Bates said 66 percent of Kentuckians buckle up, below the national average of 70 percent. Two of the people who died in Northern Kentucky during the holiday were not wearing their seat belts.

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E-mail jhannah@enquirer.com