Safety

Washington is similar to the rest of the nation in that the rate of serious* collisions is highest on rural roads 

When looking at the data from an urban area versus a rural area, the number of fatalities and rate** of collisions per 100 million vehicle miles traveled is highest in rural areas.

Number of fatalities (2002) – 655 total:

·         Urban roadways: 217

·         Rural roadways:  438

Number of fatalities (2003) – 600 total:

·         Urban roadways:  223

·         Rural roadways:  377 (63%)

When the volume of traffic is taken into account, the rate** of fatalities that occur is greatest on rural roads:

2002

·         Urban roadways: 0.66

·         Rural roadways: 1.99

2003

·         Urban roadways: 0.68

·         Rural roadways: 1.69

*  Fatal and disabling accidents
**  Accidents per 100 million vehicle miles of travel
Source: Washington Transportation Data Office

In Washington, the top roadway conditions and circumstances associated with fatal and disabling injury collisions on rural roadways, in the order of frequency, are:

·         Left the roadway (hit fixed object, overturned)

·         Going opposite direction (head on)

·         Hit at an angle (intersection/driveway)

·        Going same direction (rear-end)

The top four driver behaviors and errors that contribute to collisions are:

·         Lane errors – Simple “bad driving” (improper lane changes, failure to yield, improper passing, etc.) plays a role in a very large share – 43% of motor vehicle fatalities.  Lane errors may include other contributing factors such as alcohol or inattention.

·         Alcohol – Driver impairment (alcohol) accounts for 30% of all motor vehicle fatalities.  Alcohol is especially likely to be involved in motor vehicle fatalities when the driver is in the 18 to 40 year old age group:

o        16 year old drivers: 15% rate of alcohol involvement

o        18 – 20 years old:  31 % rate of alcohol involvement

o        21 – 30 years old:  43% rate of alcohol involvement

o        31 – 40 years old:  36% rate of alcohol involvement

·         Speeding – In Washington, speeding, (defined as driving too fast for conditions or in excess of the posted limit) is a factor in 24% of all motor vehicle fatalities. Excessive speed can contribute to both the frequency and severity of motor vehicle crashes.

·         Inattention - Driver inattention contributed to 16% of all fatal crashes from 1993-2001.  Crashes records describe inattentive behavior as changing the radio station, talking on a cell phone, getting something out of the back seat, eating, grooming, reading, or temporarily dozing or sleeping at the wheel.

·         Failure to use seat belts – Analysis of motor vehicle fatalities for 2002, a year when seat belt use in Washington was about 93% (the highest in the nation), shows that about half the persons who died as drivers or passengers were not wearing seat belts.

Strategies and interventions for improving roadway safety:

Through collecting and tracking data, it has been demonstrated that many steps to increase safety are effective in lowering fatalities, injuries and property damage on our roadways.  The Three E's -- Education, Engineering and Enforcement -- include:

• User capabilities and behavior
  • Education
  • Community corridor safety programs
• Roadway conditions
  • Address high accident locations, corridors, and intersections
  • Reduce the impact of Run off the Road crashes
    • Install pavement “rumble strips” to alert drivers when they’ve crossed the centerline or are close to the edge of the road
    • Cable median barrier to prevent vehicles from crossing over the median into oncoming traffic on divided highways
    • Guardrail installation to update old rail or place new rail where needed
    • Create a safe “clear zone” by removing fixed objects and flattening side slopes
• Enforcement of the Laws
  • Seat belt use – “Click it or Ticket”
  • DUI
  • Speed limits
  • Graduated licenses for young drivers

Decision-making for safety fixes

Limited transportation funding requires state and local governments to base safety improvements on known problem areas with high accident histories or high probability of accident occurrence. In other words, we need to prioritize safety improvements to address the locations with the highest need, based on the ability to reduce future accidents.  Decisions are based on:

• Accident data which indicates the type and contributing circumstances
• Traffic volumes
• The cost of the solution and the expected benefit that will be received.

Resources for Additional Information:

Washington Transportation Plan:

Data Library:  http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/planning/wtp/datalibrary/

Measures, Markers and Mileposts (aka Gray Notebook): http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability/   (This list includes just a few of the many topics covered under the “Safety” category.)

• Washington State and Alcohol Related Fatalities, December 31, 2003, page 37
• Highway Safety Improvement Projects – Before and After Results, December 31, 2003, pages 35 – 36
• Highway Safety Projects – Analyzing Fatal and Disabling Collisions, December 31, 2002, page 9
  • Community Corridor Safety Program, page 10
  • Preventing Run-Off-the-Road Accidents, page 10
• Highway Safety:  Quarterly Update – Intermediate Driver’s License, March 31, 2004, page 31
• Washington Seat Belt Usage, September 30, 2003, page 25
• Highway Safety – Rumble Strips, June 30, 2004, page 39