Washington’s Fatal Car Accident Rate Stays Below National Average

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on September 29, 2011

For the past several years, the rate of fatal car accidents in Washington has stayed below the national average, according to data gathered by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA).

The NHTSA’s data reveals that, from 2005 to 2009, Washington has seen fewer deaths per 100,000 residents than the United States as a whole. For instance, in 2009, 492 motorists lost their lives in fatal crashes in the state of Washington. Washingtonians traveled 56.5 billion miles as a whole that year, resulting in a death rate of 0.87 deaths for every 100,000 miles traveled. By contrast, the national average for 2009 was 1.14 deaths per 100,000 miles traveled.

Washington has also had fewer deaths per capita than the United States as a whole. In 2009, for example, Washington had a total population of just over 6.6 million people. The rate of car crash deaths per 100,000 people, therefore, was 7.38 percent – much lower than the national average of 11.01 deaths per 100,000 people.

Although Washington has seen fewer deaths due to car crash injuries, the truth is that even one death is too many for the loved ones left behind. At Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S., our experienced Seattle car accident wrongful death attorneys fight on behalf of families struggling to move forward after a loss, as well as for those injured in car crashes. We’re available for a free and confidential consultation at (888) 228-3860.