2006 Washington State collision Data Summary: Statewide - All Roads
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Summary
This document presents a comprehensive statistical summary of traffic collisions on all public roadways in Washington State for the year 2006. Produced by the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Transportation Data Office, the report aims to provide detailed collision data to support safety analysis and inform data-driven prevention strategies. The data is derived from standard Traffic Accident Reports submitted by law enforcement officers and vehicle operators, as required by state law for incidents involving injury, death, or property damage exceeding $700. The report serves various stakeholders, including federal agencies, state government bodies, and private organizations, while noting that the data cannot be used as evidence in civil litigation against the state under federal law. The methodology involves aggregating collision reports into a data mart and analyzing them through various lenses, including geographic location (county and city), time (hour, day, month), and participant demographics (age, gender, vehicle type). To ensure accurate comparisons, the report utilizes Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) as a primary measure of exposure, supplemented by surrogate measures like population and vehicle registration numbers where VMT data was unavailable. The analysis covers total collisions, fatalities, and injuries categorized by severity (disabling, evident, and possible). Key findings indicate that in 2006, there were 131,831 total collisions in Washington State, resulting in 632 fatalities and 62,985 injuries. Nearly two-thirds of these collisions were classified as Property Damage Only. Compared to 2002, traffic fatalities decreased by 4% (from 659 to 632), and disabling and evident injuries declined by 8%, despite a 3.2% increase in VMT. Long-term trends show a significant improvement in safety; between 1980 and 2006, Washington’s fatality rate dropped by 67% (from 3.43 to 1.12 fatalities per 100 million VMT), outperforming the national decline of 58%. The report provides granular breakdowns by county and city, highlighting variations in collision rates and severity across different jurisdictions. Specific sections detail collisions involving motorcycles, heavy trucks, pedestrians, and pedal cyclists, as well as incidents involving alcohol impairment and speed-related factors. The significance of this report lies in its role as a foundational resource for traffic safety planning. By providing standardized, exposure-adjusted data, it allows policymakers and safety professionals to identify high-risk areas, times, and demographics. The data supports the implementation of targeted strategies outlined in the State of Washington’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan. The detailed categorization of contributing circumstances, such as alcohol involvement and seat belt usage, offers critical insights for developing effective countermeasures to reduce the leading causes of unintentional injury and death among specific age groups in the state.
Key finding
In 2006, 632 people died and 62,985 were injured in traffic collisions in Washington State, with nearly two-thirds of the 131,831 total collisions classified as property damage only.
Methodology
dataset
Sample size: 131831
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| Stage | Outcome | Tool | Model | Prompt | Attempts | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| summarize | success | llm | qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant | summ-v5 | 3 | 2026-06-10 |
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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.
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- Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes