Car Accidents and Statistics in Kirkland, WA
Car accidents are a leading cause of injuries across the nation. Statewide, car accidents are a major cause of property damage, personal injuries, fatalities, and financial losses. Car accident lawyers at Quick Law Group, PLLC can assist individuals in Bellevue, WA and surrounding areas in getting financial compensation for damages resulting from a car accident caused by a reckless or negligent driver.
Here, our lawyers present car accident statistics for Kirkland, WA and the surrounding areas, so that drivers have a better idea of the risks they face when traveling the roads in Washington.
Washington Accident Data
The Washington State Department of Transportation, or WSDOT’s, Annual Collision Summary presents accident data for the year 2015. During that year, there were 117,053 accidents across the state of Washington. Of these, 77,358 accidents resulted in property damage, 36,531 resulted in minor or serious injuries, and 499 accidents resulted in fatalities. This amounts to a car crash every 4.5 minutes, an accident injury every 11 minutes, and an accident fatality every 16 hours.
The county with the highest number of car accidents in 2015 was King County, which includes Kirkland. During that year, King County reported 40,962 collisions. 12,592 of those accidents resulted in minor injuries, 490 resulted in serious injuries, and 100 of those collisions were fatal. In each of these categories, King county reported far higher numbers than any other county in the state.
Accident Risk Factors
In their collision summary, the WSDOT identified several “priority level one” accident factors. These factors are recognized for being involved in at least 30 percent of traffic fatalities and serious accident injuries between 2012 and 2014. Based on this data, leading accident risk factors in Washington include:
- Drug or alcohol impairment
- Speeding
- Young, inexperienced drivers involved (between the ages of 16 and 25)
- Lane changes
- Intersection traffic
The report also identifies several “priority level two” accident factors, which are identified for being involved in between 10 and 30 percent of traffic fatalities and serious accident injuries. Among the level two accident factors are:
- Distraction
- Unlicensed driver involvement
- Older drivers involved (age 70+)
- Unrestrained vehicle occupants
- Motorcyclists
Fatalities in Kirkland
In addition to the state collision data presented by the WSDOT, the city has released accident fatality data specific to the Kirkland area. This data represents fatal car crashes in Kirkland from 1996 through 2017. In 2017, there were just two fatal car crashes in Kirkland. This number has remained steady since 2014. Prior to that, Kirkland had reported a 10 year high of four fatal car crashes in the years 2011 and 2007. Compared to the state average, fatal accidents in Kirkland are lower than would be expected.
Contact Quick Law Group, PLLC
Any accident can result in personal injuries and debilitating financial losses. If you or a loved one has suffered damages following an accident, you may be due financial compensation for your losses. To learn more about your legal options, send a message to our team of lawyers at Quick Law Group, PLLC, or call our Bellevue legal firm at (425) 576-8150.