Active Transportation Safety - Locations and speed

2023

Most fatal and serious injury crashes occur in population centers

More bicyclist and pedestrian fatal and serious injuries occur in population centers because of the shorter distances between destinations in populated areas—which encourage active transportation trips—and larger concentrations of pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.

In 2023, 59.4% of fatal and serious injury crashes involving people walking, biking and rolling occurred on city streets, 30.3% of these types of crashes occurred on state highways and 9.9% of these crashes occurred on county roads. This was similar to the pattern experienced in 2022, which saw percentages of 60.9%, 27.7% and 10.5%, respectively.

Regardless of road type, 91% of pedestrian and bicyclist fatal and serious injury crashes in 2023 occurred in population centers (cities, towns and census-designated places).

Of the 242 active transportation crashes involving a fatality or serious injury on state highways, 87% occurred on state highways within population centers.

Higher speed limits correlate with 71.7% of fatal crashes

In 2023, 71.7% of pedestrian and bicyclist fatal crashes in Washington state occurred on roads with posted speed limits above 25 mph. Posted speeds continue to be the most prevalent correlated factor in vulnerable road users (bicyclists and pedestrians) fatal and serious injury crashes.

2022

Most fatal and serious injury crashes occur in population centers

The higher number of bicyclist and pedestrian fatal and serious injuries in population centers is due to the shorter distances between destinations in populated areas—which encourage active transportation trips—and larger concentrations of pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.

In 2022, 60.9% of fatal and serious injury crashes involving people walking and bicycling occurred on city streets—a 7.4 percentage point increase compared to 53.5% in 2021. Additionally, 27.7% of these types of crashes occurred on state highways in 2022 a decrease from 33.8% in 2021. And in 2022, 10.5% of these crashes occurred on county roads, a decrease from 12.7% in 2021.

Regardless of road type, 89.5% of pedestrian and bicyclist fatal and serious injury crashes in 2022 occurred in population centers (cities, towns and census-designated places).

Of the 192 active transportation crashes involving a fatality or serious injury on state highways, 152 (79.2%) occurred on state highways within population centers.

Higher speed limits correlate with 68.3% of fatal crashes

In 2022, 68.3% of pedestrian and bicyclist fatal crashes in Washington state occurred on roads with posted speed limits above 25 mph. Posted speeds continue to be the most prevalent correlated factor in vulnerable road user (bicyclists and pedestrians) fatal and serious injury crashes.

2021

Most fatal and serious injury crashes occur in population centers

In 2021, 53.5% of fatal and serious injury crashes involving people walking and bicycling occurred on city streets. Additionally, 33.8% occurred on state highways and 12.7% on county roads.

Regardless of road type, 87.9% of pedestrian and bicyclist fatal and serious injury crashes were in population centers (cities, towns and census-designated places).

The higher number of bicyclist and pedestrian fatal and serious injuries in population centers is due to the shorter distances between destinations in populated areas—which encourage active transportation trips—and larger concentrations of pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.

In 2021, of the 664 active transportation crashes involving a fatality or serious injury that occurred on state highways, 435 (65.5%) occurred on state highways within population centers.

Higher speed limits correlate with fatal crashes

From 2012 to 2021, 87% of pedestrian and bicyclist fatal crashes in Washington state occurred on roads with posted speed limits above 25 mph. This distribution is part of a long-standing pattern.

Over the last 10 years, posted speeds were more closely correlated with vulnerable road user fatal and serious injuries than any other crash-related contributing circumstance or factor (such as crashes related to intersections or crossing the street).

2020

Majority of bicyclist, pedestrian fatality and serious injury crashes occur in population centers

In 2020, 58% of fatality and serious injury crashes involving people walking and bicycling occurred on city streets, Additionally, 30% of pedestrian and bicyclist fatality and serious injury crashes occurred on state routes in 2020—up three percentage points from the 2010-2019 average of 27%. Twelve percent of these crashes occurred on county roads in 2020—up one percentage point from the 2010-2019 average of 11%. Regardless of road type, 90.8% of pedestrian and bicyclist fatality and serious injury crashes were in population centers (cities, towns and countyowned census-designated places).

The higher concentration of bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries on city streets and state routes or county roads in population centers reflects the shorter distances between destinations in populated areas—which encourage active transportation trips—and larger concentrations of pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.

Higher speed limits closely correlated with pedestrian and bicyclist fatality crashes

From 2011 to 2020, 86% of pedestrian and bicyclist fatality crashes in Washington state occurred on roads with posted speed limits above 25 mph. This distribution is part of a long-standing pattern. Over the last 10 years, posted speeds were more closely correlated with vulnerable road user fatalities and serious injuries than any other crash-related contributing circumstance or factor (such as crashes related to intersections or crossing the street).

2019

Most bicyclist, pedestrian fatalities/serious injuries occur in population centers

From 2010 through 2019, 61% of fatalities and serious injuries involving people walking and bicycling occurred on city streets. Over the same time period, 27% of these fatalities and serious injuries occurred on state routes and 11% on county roads. Of those fatalities and serious injuries on state highways, 83% were in population centers (census-designated places).

The concentration of bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries on city streets and state routes in population centers reflects the shorter distances between destinations in populated areas—which encourage active transportation trips—and larger concentrations of pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.

Severe crashes more likely for pedestrians and bicyclists crossing the street and at intersections

People crossing the street made up 62% of fatal and serious injury crashes involving pedestrians from 2010 through 2019. During the same period, 55% of fatal and serious injury crashes involving bicyclists were intersection-related.

From 2010-2019, 46% of pedestrian fatal and serious injury crashes occurred while the person was using a roadway, and 5% occurred while the person was using a sidewalk. Similarly, 53% of bicyclist fatal and serious injury crashes occurred when the person biking was using a roadway, while 9% occurred when the bicyclist was on the shoulder and 13% occurred on a designated bike route.

Dedicated places for walking or bicycling are not available on every roadway where people need to walk or bicycle; current data collection does not always inform WSDOT whether or not infrastructure was available at crash locations, or what type of infrastructure was present.