2010 Washington State Collision Data Summary

NHTSA · 2011 · ROSA P / Washington (State). Department of Transportation

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Summary

This document, published by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) in 2011, presents a comprehensive statistical summary of traffic collisions on all public roadways in Washington State for the year 2010. The report is based exclusively on police-reported collision data, excluding self-reported incidents by vehicle operators. Its primary objective is to provide detailed collision frequencies, rates, and trends to support safety analysis and the targeting of safety programs. The data covers various metrics, including injury severity, contributing circumstances such as alcohol impairment and speed, and specific user groups like pedestrians and motorcyclists. The methodology relies on data collected by the Statewide Travel and Collision Data Office (STCDO) from standard Police Traffic Collision Reports. To ensure accurate comparative analysis, the report utilizes Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) as the primary measure of exposure, allowing for the calculation of collision rates per million or hundred million VMT. Where VMT data was unavailable for specific parameters, surrogate measures such as population figures or vehicle registration numbers were used. The analysis categorizes collisions by jurisdiction (state routes, city streets, county roads), functional class of roadway, urban versus rural settings, and geographic regions. Key findings indicate a significant improvement in traffic safety in 2010. Washington State recorded 460 traffic fatalities, marking the lowest fatality rate in the state’s history at 0.80 fatalities per 100 million VMT. This represented the first consecutive five-year downward trend in fatalities, declining from 633 in 2006 to 459 in 2010. Total officer-reported collisions numbered 101,576, with the majority resulting in property damage only (67,619), followed by minor injuries (31,443), serious injuries (2,092), and fatal collisions (422). The report highlights that urban areas generally exhibited higher collision rates than rural areas, particularly on principal arterial roads. Additionally, alcohol-impaired driving remained a significant factor, involved in 7,532 collisions and resulting in 6,132 injuries. The significance of this report lies in its provision of granular, evidence-based data that allows WSDOT, the Federal Highway Administration, and other stakeholders to identify high-risk locations and behaviors. By distinguishing between collision counts and injury severities, and by standardizing rates against exposure, the document facilitates targeted interventions to reduce traffic collisions. The historical trend data demonstrates the effectiveness of ongoing safety initiatives, while the detailed breakdowns by county, city population, and roadway type offer specific insights for future policy and infrastructure improvements.

Key finding

Washington State recorded 101,576 police-reported collisions in 2010, resulting in 460 fatalities and a fatality rate of 0.80 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.

Methodology

dataset

Provenance

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Topics

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• incidence prevalence

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes