Priorities

A cable median barriers stops a car that has run-off-the-road.

 

Run-off-the-road collisions were part of 63 percent of all fatalities and serious injuries on rural county roads from 2006 through 2008

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Target Zero Priorities

Target Zero contains four levels of priority based on the percentage of traffic fatalities between 2006 and 2008.

Each of the three Priority One areas were present in 40 percent or more of the traffic fatalities.

Each Priority Two area accounted for between 21 and 38 percent of traffic fatalities. The Traffic Data Systems, while not a cause of fatalities, is considered a level two priority because the potential for better data improves our analysis of traffic fatalities and serious injuries.

Each Priority Three area was present in 12 to 20 percent of fatalities.

Each Priority Four area includes areas that were involved in less than 10 percent of all fatalities during this time period. While these areas do not have dedicated chapters in Target Zero, the plan has a brief discussion of current efforts.

We believe that if we address more common factors such as impairment, speeding and run-off-the-road collisions, the roads will be safer.

Note: Many fatalities involved more than one factor, so they could be represented more than once in the table.

Target Zero Priority Areas

2006-2008
2006-08 vs.
2003-05

Deaths (N=1,725)

% of Total Deaths
% Change in Number of Deaths
Priority One
Alcohol/drug impaired driver
828
48.0%
4.3%
Run off the road
722
41.9%
-6.4%
Speeding
693
40.2%
-2.0%
Priority Two
Young drivers
654
37.9%
-8.4%
Unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant
481
27.9%
-12.9%
Distracted driver
426
24.7%
-10.9%
Intersection-related crashes
356
20.6%
-3.0%
Traffic Data Systems
-
-
-
Priority Three
Unlicensed driver
352
20.4%
9.0%
Opposite direction/multi-vehicle collisions
323
18.7%
-5.0%
Motorcyclists
225
13.0%
10.8%
Pedestrians
198
11.5%
-6.2%
Heavy trucks
198
11.5%
15.8%
Emergency Medical Services
-
-
-
Priority Four
Older Driver
120
7.0%
-25.0%
Drowsy drivers
77
4.5%
-10.5%
Bicyclists
30
1.7%
0.0%
Work zones
21
1.2%
-34.4%
Wildlife
9
0.5%
28.6%
Vehicle-train collisions
8
0.5%
60.0%
School-bus-related collisions
1
0.1%
-85.7%

Note: Groups are not mutually exclusive; therefore, percentages will total more than 100 percent.