The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) recently issued its 2018 Motor Vehicle Crash Facts Report Summary on Tuesday, June 18th. YourValley.net reported that while the ADOT report indicates fewer crashes in 2018 as compared to 2017 on Arizona’s highways and roads, there was a 1% increase in the number of fatalities.
The report indicates that in 2017, there was a total number of 127,805 motor vehicle crashes with 998 fatalities. The number of crashes dropped in 2018 to 127,056, but the fatality rate was 1,010.
ADOT officials say that the most significant number of fatal accidents (68%) occurred on roads that were not state highways or interstates. ADOT asserts that Arizona police officers, state troopers, and other law enforcement agencies alone cannot prevent the number of accidents, injuries or fatalities.
In both 2017 and 2018, 90% of all crashes were due to driver behavior and could have been prevented. Drivers can do much to prevent fatalities on Arizona’s roadways by wearing seatbelts, using proper child restraints, avoiding driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, distracted driving or other behaviors which may cause an accident.
The report is compiled from data received from law enforcement agencies throughout the state of Arizona. The crash data for the report was submitted by law enforcement include collisions which occur on country roads, reservation roads, state or interstate highways, and city streets.
