Seattle Traffic Accident Lawyers
Traffic Accident Statistics
If you have been injured in a car accident in Washington, you are not alone. Injury accidents occur everyday and it is common for victims to be left with substantial financial, physical and emotional burdens. Depending on the cause of the crash, compensation may be available for the injuries suffered as well as for other accident-related losses. A knowledgeable Seattle car accident attorney can help a car accident victim and their family better understand how to get support for the injuries, damages, and losses sustained in the crash.
Washington Traffic Accident Statistics
Here is a brief overview of Washington state car accident statistics. These statistics provided were originally reported in the 2009 Washington State Collision Data Summary.
- There were 102,859 car accidents in Washington in 2009. This number represents a significant drop from the 110,442 accidents in 2008 and the 118,831 car crashes in 2007.
- In 2009, 492 people were killed in Washington car accidents. In 2008, 519 people were killed in car accidents while 569 fatalities resulted from Washington car crashes in 2007.
- There were more city street accidents (44,830) than state route crashes (43,096) in 2009. But there were substantially more fatalities on state routes (240) than on city streets (85).
- King County had more car accidents than any other county in Washington in 2009.That year, 77 people were killed, 691 people were seriously injured, and 14,819 people sustained minor injuries in car accidents in King County.
- The county that had the second most injury car accidents was Pierce County. Also, Pierce County had 47 fatalities, 309 serious injuries, and 5,828 minor injuries in 2009.
- Also that year, 33 people were killed and 253 were seriously injured in Seattle car accidents.
- In 2009, 20 people suffered fatal injuries and 50 sustained serious injuries in car crashes in Spokane.
- There were eight fatalities and 87 serious injuries in Tacoma car accidents.
- There were 21,694 car accidents involving a driver traveling at an unsafe rate of speed that year. Also, 20,344 crashes resulted from a driver failing to yield right-of-way, with 16,993 Washington car crashes resulted from a driver following too closely.
- Lastly, 184 fatal collisions resulted from drivers under the influence of alcohol during 2009 in Washington.
Causes of Washington Traffic Accidents
There are many forms of negligent driving that can lead to an injury accident in Washington. Drivers who are distracted, for example, take their eyes off the road and may not have enough time to react to a change in speed or a traffic safety device. Motorists who are speeding, fatigued, or under the influence of alcohol have an increased chance of causing a crash. Drivers who fail to yield right-of-way or who fail to obey a traffic safety device may also be held accountable for their actions if an accident should result.
The skilled traffic accident attorneys in Seattle at Hardwick & Pendergast know how to hold at-fault drivers accountable for the traffic accidents they cause. Our experienced lawyers have a long history of handling civil lawsuits and in getting our clients the financial compensation they need. We provide no-cost consultations to anyone that has suffered a loss in a Washington car accident. Call us today to find out how we can help.
