Tuesday’s announcement that statewide seat-belt use had grown to 97.6 percent of drivers (98.4 percent in Clark County) might not be overly impressive on first consideration. That’s close enough to 100 percent to instill pride in Washingtonians. But a couple of statistical details border on remarkable.
First, ponder our state’s lofty ranking, already among the nation’s best when it comes to seat-belt use. The nationwide compliance rate is about 85 percent. And eking out those last few percentage points is difficult because the percentage already is so high.
Second, about one-third of Washingtonians who were not wearing seat belts in 2008 decided to change their ways in 2009. That is “truly an amazing accomplishment,” according to Washington State Traffic Safety Commission investigator Dick Doane, “given that Washington has maintained one of the highest seat-belt use rates in the nation for so many years.”
Therefore, with a few exceptions we’ll address later, there is much to celebrate on the traffic safety front, in fact, more than just the seat-belt compliance rate. The most serious statistic, of course, is traffic fatalities, and although one death is too many, Washington last year posted its fewest traffic fatalities in half a century. The state Transportation Department reported this year that 409 traffic fatalities occurred last year, down 31 from 2008. In this statistic, too, a couple of details show how profound this traffic-safety trend really is. First, the decrease in fatalities occurred despite an increase of 0.2 percent over 2008 in miles driven by motorists statewide. The rate of deaths per 100 million miles driven last year dropped to a record low 1.13, down from 1.26 in 2008.
Second, the long-term decline in traffic fatalities is remarkable when population increase is considered. Last year’s 409 traffic deaths represented the lowest number since 1955, despite the fact that the population since then has soared five-fold, according to state traffic officials. Locally, the five traffic fatalities in Clark County in 2009 were the lowest number in at least seven years.
The great news is that we’re all driving better, but that’s not the only factor in these trends. Traffic experts note that, in addition to more frequent seat-belt use and a more safety-conscious motoring public, technology has saved countless lives. Modern vehicles contain more side air bags, and anti-rollover technology has improved. Electronic stability control, which guides braking to reduce skids, is more common.
Another factor has been increased enforcement of state and local anti-DUI programs, especially task-force efforts. Education programs about drunken driving and other issues also have led to a more enlightened and cautious collection of motorists.
More good news is seen in motorcycle statistics: Fatalities among motorcyclists fell 16 percent nationwide last year, halting an 11-year string of increases.
Room to improve
However, complacency would be the worst response to this good news, for several reasons. The number of Washington state fatalities last year caused by alcohol-impaired driving (206) was 13 percent higher than in 2008, especially troubling when, nationwide, a 7.4 percent drop was recorded.
From a financial standpoint, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, medical and lost productivity costs related to traffic accidents totaled $99 billion nationwide last year.
None of these numbers can compare to the multi-faceted suffering that afflicts families ravaged by traffic accidents and fatalities. We like the name of the state’s highway safety plan: Target Zero. Until that non-number is reached, no one should be satisfied. For more information, visit http://www.targetzero.com.
