Washington State Car Accident Facts

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on February 20, 2016

There are over 200 million licensed drivers in America. With that many people on the road, accidents are going to happen. The United States Department of Transportation estimates about 7 million car accidents happen nationwide each year. No matter how safe a driver you are, there’s a good chance you’ll get into at least one accident in your lifetime.

Washington Car Accident Facts and Stats

Each year, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission gathers data about car accidents that happen in the state. Here are some facts and statistics the Commission reported:

• A car accident happens in Washington every five minutes
• Speeding drivers cause an accident every half hour
• Distracted drivers cause an accident every 15 minutes
• 1,500 serious injury crashes happen each year
• 300 car accident-related deaths happen each year
• More than half of fatal crashes involve an impaired driver
• Almost 80 percent of impaired drivers died in crashes they caused
• Distracted driving is the largest contributor to car accidents
• Almost half of car accident deaths happen on freeways or highways, 20 percent happened on city streets, and 31 percent took place on rural roads
• Drivers are three times more likely to be injured in a car accident than anyone else (including passengers, pedestrians, and bike riders)

On the bright side, the number of car accident deaths has fallen each of the past few years in Washington. But, the number of accidents is still way too high, and they represent real suffering for people and their families all over the state.

Contact an Experienced Attorney

No two car accidents are the same. Neither are the people involved in accidents. Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. gives every case a personal interest. We’re here to help people and their families put their lives back together after a car accident. Call us today at  (888) 228-3860.