It is no secret that the Covid-19 stay-at-home orders kept many drivers off the roads making Seattle safer for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. But while the number of crashes dropped dramatically, there was at least one type of accident that became much more common in 2020.
According to the data from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the number of traffic accidents in the Seattle area in 2020 was nearly 46% lower than in 2019.
In 2019, WSDOT officials registered 11,092 accidents total in the Seattle area whereas in 2020, there were 6,908 accidents reported. Despite the significant change in the overall crash rates, however, the rates of deadly and serious injury accidents didn’t change much from one year to the next.
In 2019, Seattle saw 27 deadly crashes and 191 serious injury accidents while in 2020, there were 24 fatal traffic collisions and 157 serious injury accidents within city limits. Considering 2021 is still not over, we will only know if the downward accident trend is here to stay or if it was solely the result of the pandemic.
Despite Light Traffic During Covid Lockdowns, Officials Were Still Witnessing Many Seattle Accidents
As we reported last year, the light traffic did not completely stop all traffic accidents. Instead, it gave drivers the illusion that they could drive faster because there were fewer vehicles on the roads. Speeding, officials then said, was becoming a cause of concern.
In 2019, officials registered 32 speed-related accidents in the city of Seattle while in 2020, this number jumped to 44, making it clear that officials were right to worry.
If you are back behind the wheel after spending several months working remotely and you feel confident, remember that going above the speed limit is against the law.
Speeding makes traffic accidents more likely as it requires a faster reaction time of the driver and a longer braking distance. For these reasons, drivers can easily lose control of their vehicle while speeding, putting their lives and the lives of others at risk.
If you were injured in a traffic accident in Seattle caused by a speeding driver, feel free to contact us for a free case evaluation at your earliest convenience.
