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1.2 Serious Injuries State Routes
Are serious injuries on state routes and interstates decreasing? |
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| Data Notes |
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| Data Source: |
WSDOT Transportation Data Office. Data as of 2/24/09. Data for 2008 is approximately 91% complete and preliminary. Therefore the number of serious injuries in 2008 is expected to increase as more information becomes available. |
| Measure Definition: |
Serious Injury: Any injury, other than a fatal injury, which prevents the injured person from walking, driving, or continuing normal activities at the time of the collision. Includes: Severe Lacerations; Broken or distorted limbs; Skull or chest injuries; Abdominal Injuries; Unconsciousness at or when taken from accident scene; Unable to leave accident scene without assistance. |
| Target Rationale: |
Washington's 2007 Strategic Highway Safety Plan, Target Zero, set aggressive goals and objectives, identified traffic safety needs, and provided an inventory of proven, effective strategies to meet them. |
| Link to Agency Strategic Plan: |
Washington State's Strategic Highway Safety Plan, Target Zero, seeks to eliminate traffic fatalities on all public roads by 2030. |
| Relevance: |
Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of unintentional death among Washington residents ages one to 44. Nonfatal injury hospitalizations resulting from motor vehicle collisions are five times more common than fatalities and may result in lifetime disability (WA DOH). In 2005, the economic cost of motor vehicle collisions in Washington State totaled $5.6 billion (WSDOT). |
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Notes: (optional) |
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| Also Available |
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| Action Plan: |
Yes |
| Extended Analysis: |
Yes | |
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All serious injuries on state highways and interstates have declined by 13% from 2002 to 2007. Collision data for 2008, approximately 91% complete, show a total of 997 serious injuries on state routes and interstates.
The number of serious injuries involving speed* on state routes and interstates decreased in 2007 to 338, down from 354 in 2006, and down from 443 in 2002.
The number of serious injuries involving alcohol and/or drugs* on state routes and interstates increased in 2007 to 262, up from 233 in 2006, and from 253 in 2002.
Serious injuries and fatalities on rural two lane state highways increased 14% (37) from 2005 to 2007 (see extended analysis)
Vehicle Travel: Some of our serious injury drop in 2008 is likely due to a reduction in highway-related vehicle travel. According to the WSDOT, statewide travel volumes in 2008 decreased by 3.2% compared to 2007 (link to chart). We are currently analyzing data to determine whether traffic fatalities in that period declined by a similar percentage.
* Based off Motor Vehicle Driver Contributing Circumstances
Law Enforcement
Regional Variation: While the number of fatal and injury collisions dropped on state routes and interstates as a whole, the WSP District Areas did not necessarily experience uniform decreases by month in speed and DUI collisions. This suggests that there are likely other factors besides declining vehicle volume which contributed to these increases/decreases. |
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