Annual report shows that motor vehicle crash fatalities in Arizona down slightly in 2012

ADOT’s yearly Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report shows that 823 people lost their lives in crashes on state and local roadways in Arizona in 2012.

It’s a very slight decrease from the previous year’s number, however the report also reveals that motorcycle-related fatalities actually increased by more than 5 percent from 2011 (139 in 2012 compared to 132 in 2011).

Hopefully these statistics can serve as a reminder to all of us on the importance of safe driving.

Here are some more figures from ADOT's 2012 Arizona Crash Facts report:

• There were 103,176 total crashes recorded in 2012 (down 0.58 percent compared to 103,774 crashes in 2011)
• One person was killed in a motor vehicle-related crash every 10.65 hours
• Crashes with injuries accounted for 32 percent of all crashes, while 67 percent of all crashes were listed as “property damage only”
• Pedestrian fatalities decreased by 14 percent (132 deaths in 2012 compared to 154 in 2011)
• 72.5 percent of all crashes occurred during daylight hours (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
• Motor vehicle crashes also created economic losses approaching $3 billion in Arizona last year. Economic losses tied to fatalities, including wage and productivity losses, totaled $1.2 billion, while losses from property damage added up to more than $640 million
• Alcohol-related fatalities decreased by 2 percent (281 deaths in 2012 compared to 287 in 2011)

"These figures should remind all of us to make a pledge to resist distractions and concentrate on safe driving," said ADOT Director John Halikowski. "Public safety agencies met recently to begin updating Arizona's Strategic Highway Safety Plan. One area sure to receive even more attention in the coming year is motorcycle safety. We urge all motorcyclists to seriously consider safety-training courses and remind all drivers to increase their awareness when sharing the road with motorcycle riders."

You can read the entire 2012 Arizona Crash Facts report online