Davis Law Group, P.S.

Washington State Speed Related Fatal Accident Statistics

• Speeding-related fatalities have been increasing over the past ten years.  The number of speed-related deaths from 1997 to 2001 was 237.8, while the average from 2002 to 2006 was 244, a 2.6% increase. 
• In 2006, Washington experienced the second highest number of speed-related fatalities since 1997, with 253, second only to 2002’s number of 260. 
• The speed-related fatality rate per 100 million vehicle-miles-traveled has decreased slightly, from .47 in 1997 to .45 in 2006, a 4.3% decrease.
• 59.6% of all speed-related deaths occurred on rural roads- for vehicle-occupants alone the percentage was 62.3%.  However, a larger majority of motorcyclist, bicyclist, and pedestrian deaths occurred on urban roads, with 57.5%. 
• On average, from 1997 to 2006, the speed-related fatality rate per vehicle-miles-traveled on rural roads was 2-4 times higher than the respective urban road rate.  Rural county roads experienced the largest percentage of speed-related deaths, with 30.7%, followed by rural highways, with 20%, and urban city streets, with 19.6%. 
• County roads have the highest speed-related fatality rate, with 1.04 deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles-traveled.  This is almost six times higher than the interstate rate of .18, and almost three times higher than the city street rate of .36.
• Males represent the largest majority of speed-related deaths, on average, 75.1% from 1997 to 2006. 
• In the 21-30 year-old age group, males represent 83.7% of the deaths.  Overall, 21-30 year-olds comprise 28.5% of speed-related deaths, followed by 15-20 year olds with 24.3%. 
• 15-20 year-olds had the highest speed-related fatality rate from 1997 to 2006, with 11.28 deaths per 100,000 population. 
• 21-30 year-olds had the second highest rate of 8.42.  Persons age 61 and older and 0-14 year-olds had the lowest speed-related fatality rates, ranging from .71 to 2.56. 
• A total of 68% of speed-related collisions were single-vehicle, compared to 64% of impaired-driver-involved collisions, and 59% of overall collisions.
• Native Americans also had the highest speed-related fatality rate, with 13.17 deaths per 100,000 population, followed by Hispanics with 6.49. 
• The Native American rate was 3 times higher than the respective rate for Whites, and 5 times higher than the respective rate for Asian/Pacific Islanders.
• More speed-related deaths occurred during the nighttime hours (6 PM-5:59 AM).  The time period with the largest percentage of deaths was 10 PM to 1:59 AM, with 27.3% of the total.  
• The nighttime speed-related fatality rate per vehicle-miles-traveled was 5-8 times higher than the daytime rate from 1997 to 2006. 
• The summer months (July-September) comprised the largest majority of speed-related deaths, with 29.3%.  August experienced the largest percentage of deaths with 10.3%, followed by July with 10.1%, and December with 9%. 
• Research has shown risky behaviors tend to be inter-related.  Thus, it is not surprising to find that 58.4% of all speeding drivers (who were tested) involved in fatal collisions from 1997 to 2006 had a BAC greater than zero.  In addition, 51.9% of those had a BAC greater than or equal to the legal limit of .08. 
• Only 64.5% of all speeding drivers involved in fatal collisions were tested for alcohol.