Arizona car accidents at lowest level in 16 years

The number of traffic fatalities on Arizona roads reached a 16-year-low in 2009, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

As our Phoenix car accident attorneys recently reported on our Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, the federal government recently reported the fewest traffic fatalities in 60 years. Safety experts pin the decline on a number of factors, including the economic downturn.Nationwide, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that traffic deaths dropped to 33,808 in 2009, the lowest level since 1950.

Arizona recorded 807 fatal traffic accidents in 2009, the lowest number since 1993. By comparison, 938 people were killed in Arizona traffic accidents in 2008. The numbers represent a two-year decline of 14 percent in the number of fatal car accidents in Arizona.

ADOT gave some credit for the reduction to what it calls the “Four Es,” engineering, enforcement, emergency response and education.

“There are a variety of modern improvements that we have already made to our state highway system and continue to implement,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “This includes enhancements to the roadway and the addition of technology along our freeways. All of these innovations work together with law enforcement officers and others in the safety sector to create a safer driving experience.”

The state program to cut rumble strips into the shoulders of the state’s entire highway system was also cited for the reduction. The warning grooves at the edge of highways have been shown to reduce accidents by up to 33 percent as they warn drivers who are drifting onto the shoulder of the road.

Other improvements include:

-Reflective pavement markers
-Larger traffic signals
-Crash cushions on guardrail endcaps
-Wider highway stripes — ADOT uses 6-inch stripes compared to the 4-inch stripes that are the national average
-Cable barriers on urban divided highways that keep cars from crossing over into oncoming traffic
-Brighter freeway signs
If you have been injured in a traffic accident, contact the Phoenix accident lawyers at Abels & Annes for a free, no obligation consultation. Call (602) 819-5191 today.