Seattle Accident Statistics

Fires Caused By Humans in Washington State Increase

Statewide (October 28, 2022) – Data from the Washington Department of Natural Resources finds that humans were a top cause of wildfires in 2031. Last year, there were 737 fires in Washington caused by people. The number of human-caused fires increased by 55% from 2020.

Police revealed that the Nakia Creek Fire, which started burning on October 9, was started by humans. The fire is currently being investigated after a man turned over a cellphone video of the possible perpetrators of the fire. Police believe the fire was either started by a gun or fireworks. If you’ve been injured in a fire due to negligence, contact the Seattle personal injury attorneys at Lerner and Rowe.

Source: The Daily News

Larger Vehicles Lead to Increase in Seattle Pedestrian Deaths

Seattle (September 30, 2022) – Since 2015, Seattle has attempted to eliminate pedestrian deaths with the Vision Zero project. However, pedestrian fatalities increased by 150% in the five years after the pedestrian safety project began. According to the Washington Department of Transportation, larger vehicles were the leading factors in Seattle’s increased pedestrian deaths. 40.9% of pedestrian deaths occurred after a collision with an SUV, van, or pickup truck.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a pedestrian accident, call a Seattle personal injury lawyer at Lerner and Rowe. Source: KUOW

Washington State Heatwave Leaves 3 Dead

King County (August 2, 2022) – The recent heat wave broke the all-time record in the state. A report from the Seattle King County Public Health Department said three died from heat illnesses brought on by the heat during the last week of July. 51 patients were also admitted to King County emergency departments for heat illnesses over a 3-day period from July 26 to July 28.

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office warned more heat-related deaths may be confirmed later. If you’ve suffered injuries from a heat-related illness due to negligence, contact the Seattle accident attorneys at Lerner and Rowe. Source: K5 News

Top Causes of Washington State Car Accidents in 2021

Statewide (June 30, 2022) – The number of fatal car accidents in Washington reached a 15-year high in 2021. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) found the top three causes of fatal and serious injury car accidents in 2021 were speeding, alcohol impairment, and lack of restraint/seat belt use. The rate of non-restrained fatal and serious injury increased 56.5% from 2019 to 2021. The rates of alcohol-impaired fatal accidents/serious injury increased by 31.2%. Speeding accidents that resulted in either fatalities or serious injury increased 26.4%.

Lerner and Rowe want everyone to drive safely and follow traffic rules when on the road. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, call one of our Seattle car accident attorneys. Source: WTSC

2021 Deadliest Year on Tennessee Highways Since 2010

Statewide (June 2022) – Traffic fatalities are the highest they’ve been in Tennessee since 2010, according to the Department of Safety & Homeland Security. In 2021, there were 1,327 traffic fatalities in the state compared to 2020 with 1,217. This is a 9% increase overall, with crashes increasing 16% from just 2 years ago in 2019. In 2022, so far, the state has recorded 579 traffic-related fatalities. In Nashville alone in 2021, there were 131 fatal car accidents.

Contact Lerner and Rowe’s Nashville personal injury lawyers if you or a loved one have been harmed in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence. Source: TN.gov

Causes of Car Accidents in Arizona in 2020

Statewide (June 20, 2022) – Car accidents in Arizona have increased in the past year, with numbers reaching a 15-year high in 2021. According to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), the number of total accidents decreased from 2019 to 2020 by 24.23%. However, the number of total fatal accidents increased by 7.86%. Alcohol-related fatalities and injuries decreased by 29.84% and 4.53%.

Distracted driving and alcohol were the top causes of Arizona car accidents in 2020. Alcohol related crashes made up 4.56% of all car accidents, both fatal and non-fatal. Over 2,800 people were injured in alcohol-related car accidents in 2020. If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident in Arizona, call Lerner and Rowe today. Source: ADOT

Moose in Roadway Caused Deadly Crash

Spokane (January 20, 2022) – One man was killed and another was injured in a car accident involving a moose last week. The collision occurred on the evening of January 12 on Interstate 90, roughly 12 miles west of Spokane.

According to Washington State Patrol (WSP), a westbound 2010 Mazda3 struck the animal, which was in the left lane near mile marker 264, around 6:45 p.m. The driver, 63-year-old Scott Brodie, was transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center where he died a few days later. His passenger was also hurt, but survived. Both occupants had been wearing their seatbelts.

Accidents involving wildlife aren’t uncommon. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) reported more than 1,300 wildlife-involved crashes in 2021 alone. Source: KREM 2

Dozens of Crashes Attributed to Icy Roads

Tri-Cities (December 30, 2021) – Washington State Patrol (WSP) says more than 70 car accidents in the Tri-Cities area today have been caused by snow and ice on Washington roads, including one crash that resulted in a fatality. Blizzard conditions were reported on I-82 south of the Tri-Cities, while near-zero visibility resulted in hours-long road closures on I-84 and I-90.

Between freezing rain, snow, and high winds, troopers are advising motorists to stay home until weather conditions improve. If you do need to go out, WSP reminds drivers to slow down. “All of these are just people driving too fast for the roadway conditions,” said Trooper Chris Thorson.

By noon, police had responded to a vehicle rollover, a semi-truck accident, and a vehicle fire in addition to dozens of other weather-related accidents. Source: Tri-City Herald

Wet Weather Causing Cars to Hydroplane, Crash

Lakewood (December 16, 2021) – Washington State Patrol (WSP) troopers are cautioning drivers to slow down after a series of incidents involving hydroplaning vehicles and weather-related car accidents in the South Sound. WSP troopers say there’s been a significant uptick in accidents throughout Pierce and Thurston County.

The NHTSA Fatality and Injury Reporting System Tool (FIRST) reports that there were 354 fatal crashes in Washington state between 2015 and 2019 involving adverse weather such as rain, sleet, hail, snow, and fog. According to the data, 46.3% of fatal wet weather accidents occurred between November and January, with December being the deadliest month.

Many of these accidents can be prevented. For more information, check out our top three tips for driving in the snow in Washington. Source: Fox 13 Seattle

Suspected Drunk Driver Injures Kennewick Motorcyclist

Kennewick (November 24, 2021) – A 25-year-old man is recovering from injuries he sustained in a motorcycle accident with a suspected drunk driver. Kaleb Trogdon of Kennewick, Washington was thrown from his bike and had his body wrapped around a fire hydrant when 40-year-old Aron Michael Salazar turned right in front of him.

According to family, Trogdon suffered a traumatic brain injury, multiple compound fractures, a broken pelvis, and a lacerated spleen. He has already undergone 15 hours of surgery and will likely need a costly hip replacement in the near future.

Salazar has been charged with vehicular assault and appeared to be intoxicated at the scene of the crash. Source: KEPR

Washington Sees Dramatic Increase in Traffic Deaths

Statewide (November 30, 2022) – Recent data found that there were 327 deaths on Washington’s roadways in the first half of 2022, up from 249 during the same time in 2021. This marks a 31% increase, ranking Washington the state with the sixth-highest increase in car accident fatalities from last year. The data, gathered from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and National Safety Council, includes traffic fatalities involving pedestrian accidents, bicyclists, passengers, and more.

If you’ve lost a loved one in a car accident, contact the Seattle personal injury lawyers at Lerner and Rowe. Source: Seattle Times

Washington State Fatal Car Accidents Increased Over 25% From 2020-2021

Statewide (October 28, 2022) – Data from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) shows an increase in fatal car accidents between 2020-2021. In 2020, there were 574 fatal car crashes in Washington. In 2021, that number rose to 670, almost 100 more fatalities than the previous year.

If you’ve lost a loved one in a car accident, contact the Seattle car accident attorneys at Lerner and Rowe. Source: WTSC

Washington Interstate Ranked 7th Deadliest Highway in U.S.

Statewide (September 30, 2022) – Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ranks the I-5 as the seventh-deadliest interstate highway in the United States. The I-5 interstate runs through major West Coast cities like San Diego, Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle. In 2020, there were a total of 193 fatalities on the I-5 and 14.0 fatalities per 100 miles. Portions of the I-5 have seen a 47% increase in fatal crashes between 2020-2021.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident, call the Seattle car accident attorneys at Lerner and Rowe. Source: NHTSA

Washington State Sees 50% Decrease in Boating Accidents

Statewide (June 16, 2022) – According to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Recreational Boating Statistics Report, Washington experienced a 28% decrease in recreational boating accidents in 2021. There were a total of 26 fatal boating accidents in 2020 and 13 in 2021, a 50% decrease.

Lerner and Rowe’s Seattle personal injury lawyers urge boaters to put safety first when out on the water. Our attorneys have expertise winning settlements for boating accident victims. If you have been harmed in a boating accident in Washington caused by a reckless person, contact us today. Source: USCG

2021 Seattle Heatwave Ruled One of the Deadliest Weather Events in State History

Statewide (July 29, 2022) – The historic, devastating heatwave of 2021 led to a total of 157 deaths, according to the Washington State Department of Health (WSDH). The region experienced a sustained heat wave from June 26 to July 2, 2021. 38 out of the 157 deaths occurred during the last few days of June when the heat wave began. In 2020, there were only 7 heat-related deaths in Washington State, compared to the 157 in 2021—over a 200% increase.

If you or a loved one suffered from heat illness or death as a result of someone else’s negligence, contact a Seattle wrongful death lawyer at Lerner and Rowe. Source: WSDH

2021 Ranked Deadliest Year For Washington Roads in 15 Years

Statewide (May 20, 2022) – According to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the state had 540 fatal crashes in 2021—the highest number since 2006. These crashes killed over 600 people. Out of those killed in crashes, 118 involved pedestrians and bicyclists. Along with the 540 fatal car accidents in Washington last year, there were additional 2,411 crashes that resulted in serious injury. This is a 16% increase from 2020 to 2021.

According to data from the Seattle Department of Transportation, 31 people were killed in car crashes in 2021. This is also the highest number since 2006. Out of these fatalities, 19 of them were pedestrians. Contact Lerner and Rowe today if you or a loved one have been hurt in a Seattle car accident. Source: WSDOT

2021 Washington Traffic Accidents

Statewide (January 6, 2022) – There were 73,906 auto accidents in the state of Washington in 2021, according to the latest data from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). The number of overall accidents dropped by 9.7% from 2020, which had itself experienced a dramatic 22.7% decline from 2019.

Fatal and serious injury accidents, on the other hand, didn’t see a similar reduction. In fact, the percentage of fatal accidents rose from less than 0.5% in 2019 to 0.7% in 2021.

Despite there being fewer accidents overall, serious injury crashes have increased. There were more than 2,300 serious injury accidents in 2021, compared to around 2,000 in 2020, and less than 1,940 in 2019. Source: WSDOT

Pedestrian and Bicyclist Accident Trends During the Pandemic

Statewide (December 3, 2021) – The most recent Active Transportation: Annual Safety Report released by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is shedding some light on pedestrian and bicyclist accident trends during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the report, pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities stayed relatively steady in 2020. Serious injuries, on the other hand, decreased by about 13% compared to the previous year. And although walking and biking represented just 12% of all trips, approximately 22% of all fatal and serious traffic accidents involved a pedestrian or bicyclist.

During the first year of the pandemic, 90.8% of all bicycle and pedestrian accidents occurred in population centers like Seattle. In addition, 58% of accidents occurred on city streets, 30% on state highways, and 12% on county roads. Source: WSDOT

Washington Pedestrian Accidents, 2016 – 2020

Statewide (November 5, 2021) – According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, there were 513 pedestrian fatalities between 2016 and 2020. Another 1,792 pedestrians were seriously injured, and as many as 3,716 suffered minor injuries. Roughly 4,698 pedestrians reportedly had “possible injuries,” and just 497 were not injured at all.

In total, 11,216 people were involved in pedestrian accidents in the past five years in Washington. At least 4.6% of pedestrians died, and 91% suffered potential serious or minor injuries. Just 4.4% walked away without any injuries.

Pedestrians are among our most vulnerable road users. If you or a loved one has been hit by a car, motorcycle, or bicycle while walking, contact our Seattle personal injury lawyers for a free consultation. Source: WSDOT

WA Crashes Involving Cell Phone Use, 2011–2020

Statewide (October 8, 2021) – The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) reported 6,319 car accidents involving cell phone use between 2011 and 2020. Cell phone-involved crashes peaked in 2016, with 774 crashes reported that year.

The Washington Traffic Safety Commission reports that cell phone use is the most common type of distracted driving, with 70% of observed distracted drivers using a cell phone behind the wheel. Drivers are three times more likely to get into an accident while talking on the phone.

Motor vehicle crashes caused by cell phone use can be difficult to track, especially when they result in fatalities. Drivers may also be hesitant to admit to using their cell phone, especially since holding a cell phone while driving has been illegal since 2017. Source: WSDOT

Area Damaged By Wildfires Experience Flooding and Snow

Skykomish (October 27, 2022) – The town of Skykomish, about two hours from Seattle is the main area damaged by the Bolt Creek Fire. The wildfire has been burning since September, according to the Seattle Times. The heavy rainfall and snow in the area has helped put out some of the flames. However, the rain and snow comes with a heightened risk of debris flow and landslides along the Skykomish River.

Lerner and Rowe want everyone to stay safe during natural disasters. If you need legal assistance after a wildfire or storm, contact our Seattle personal injury attorneys. Source: KIRO7

Efforts Continue to Recover Wreckage from Deadly Whidbey Island Floatplane Crash

Seattle (September 6, 2022) – The identities of all 10 occupants of the floatplane that crashed near Whidbey Island on Sunday were revealed by officials on Tuesday morning. One woman’s body was found on Sunday, but the other passengers, including a child, were still missing. The U.S. Coast Guard stopped trying to find the remaining nine missing passengers Monday afternoon.

The plane was owned by the charter service and was traveling from Friday Harbor to Renton. If you’ve lost a loved one in a plane crash, contact Lerner and Rowe. Source: Seattle Times

Parents Sue Seattle Company For Wrongful Death

Los Angeles (August 1, 2022) – Kaye and Jonathan Steinsapir, the parents of Molly Steinsapir, who died at age 12 from a traumatic brain injury, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Seattle company Rad Power Bikes. The lawsuit claims that design problems and defective parts make it difficult for riders to slow down and stop while going downhill.

The lawsuit claims Rad Power Bikes “inappropriately marketed e-bikes to children” and failed to “adequately warn about the dangers of children operating e-bikes.”

If you or a loved one have been injured in a Seattle scooter accident or by dangerous product, contact Lerner and Rowe. Source: Seattle Times

Pedestrians Rescued From Overturned Semi-Truck in Seattle

Seattle (June 8, 2022) – A pedestrian was rescued after a semi-truck trailer flipped and pinned them underneath. The truck flipped while making a turn, according to the Seattle Fire Department. Crews rescued the pedestrian trapped underneath—she was stable upon arriving at the hospital.

Another pedestrian was injured as she jumped out of the trailer’s path, SFD officials said. She was also taken to the hospital in stable condition. If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, contact Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys. Source: K5 News

Man Dead After Seattle DUI Crash

Seattle (May 26, 2022) – The body of a man who was hit by a drunk driver on the Ship Canal Bridge has been recovered. The car accident occurred at approximately 5:00 a.m. on May 23. The man’s car stalled on the bridge.

According to Washington State Police, the victim was standing on the road when a second driver hit the stalled car. The impact sent the driver of the broken-down automobile over the bridge and into the water. The second driver was arrested for DUI. If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident caused by a DUI, or suffered a wrongful death, contact Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys. Source: Tacoma News Tribune

Mother and Child Killed in DUI Crash

Fall City (January 13, 2022) – A mother and her 6-year-old child both perished after their truck was swept into Snoqualmie River on January 9. The driver of that vehicle was the woman’s husband, a man in his 30s who police say is now facing charges of driving under the influence and vehicular homicide.

According to investigators, the car accident occurred around 2:00 a.m. on State Route 202. The unnamed man attempted to make a left turn, lost control of his truck, and tumbled into the river. While the man escaped with an eight-month-old infant, the other two passengers were swept into raging, cold waters.

The 6-year-old’s body has since been located. At this time, the missing mother is presumed dead. Source: Komo News

Motorists Should Prepare for Holiday Cold Snap

King County (December 23, 2021) – King County is set to experience some of the coldest weather of the winter season in the days leading up to Christmas. Sub-freezing temperatures and snow are expected over the next several days, just as thousands of Washington residents are set to travel for the holiday weekend.

Officials are encouraging people to delay travel plans if possible due to snowy and icy roads, which put motorists at a higher risk of getting into a car accident. If you absolutely must go out, it is recommended to bring an emergency kit in your vehicle including extra clothing, nonperishable food, water, and a flashlight.

If you’re staying put this holiday, be sure to also stock up on emergency supplies in case of storm-related power outages. Source: King County Emergency News

6 Injured in Highway Crash Involving Bus, Dump Truck

Renton (December 9, 2021) – A total of six people were taken to area hospitals last week after a multi-vehicle crash involving a Metro bus, a dump truck, and multiple passenger cars. The auto accident occurred at the intersection of Maple Valley Highway and 140th Avenue Southeast on December 2, just after 6:00 p.m.

According to police, the dump truck struck two cars before it hit the Metro bus, which then hit several other vehicles. Although there were no passengers onboard the bus, injuries were reported from the other vehicles, including one person with life-threatening injuries, two people with serious injuries, and two with minor injuries. It is unclear what caused the dump truck to hit the other vehicles at this time. Source: Seattle Times

Woman Survives Crash That Folded Car in Half

Mt. Vernon (November 18, 2021) – A 46-year-old woman is lucky to be alive after a terrifying car accident on Tuesday morning in Mt. Vernon. Washington State Patrol said a woman driving a 2015 Nissan Altima got sandwiched between two semi-trucks on Interstate 5 due to heavy traffic.

As traffic slowed down, the Altima was rear-ended by the trailing semi. With nowhere else to go, the Altima slid under the leading semi-truck, effectively folding and crushing the vehicle in half. Miraculously, the unnamed woman sustained only minor injuries, despite the semi coming to rest on top of her vehicle.

According to police, the accident was caused by the rear semi-truck following too closely. The driver was cited and fined $189. Source: Fox 8

Seven People Rescued After Car Goes Over Cliff

Arlington (October 21, 2021) – Seven people had to be extricated by search and rescue and fire crews after their vehicle went over a cliff last Saturday. The car accident occurred around 6:00 p.m. on a forest service road to the Boulder River Trailhead in Snohomish County.

One of the victims was critically injured and had to be airlifted to the hospital. The six remaining passengers were taken by ambulance to local hospitals for treatment of their injuries. It’s not clear at this time what caused the car to go over the cliffside, but the Washington Trails Association (WTA) has described the road to Boulder River Trailhead as “badly potholed in some places.” Source: Seattle Times