PHOENIX – As more people began getting back to traveling in 2021, the number of traffic fatalities rose for a second straight year to their highest levels in 15 years, according to the most recent Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report published Wednesday, Sept. 7.

The number of those killed in traffic collisions rose from 1,054 in 2020 to 1,180 in 2021, an increase of 12%. The total number of traffic crashes also rose by 22% as people drove an estimated 8.1 billion more miles last year than in 2020. 

The Arizona Department of Transportation produces the annual Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report, which is a compilation of traffic crash reports provided by law enforcement agencies around the state. The document reflects reported crash data for all Arizona roadways, including city streets, county roads, reservation roads and state highways.

The 2021 report shows an increase in all categories in terms of number of crashes, injuries and fatalities over 2020 as more people began to travel once again to work, school and other places. A month-by-month breakdown in the crash report shows an overall increase in the number of crashes as the year went on, with October being the peak month for crashes.

Fatalities are driven mostly by driver behavior. Speed was a factor in 30% of all fatalities last year, and impairment was a factor in nearly one-third of all traffic fatalities in 2021. Not wearing seat belts was a factor in almost one quarter of all fatalities. This illustrates that real change must begin in the driver’s seat.

Reducing crashes, fatalities and injuries can’t be solved by state agencies alone because more than two-thirds of crashes occur on roads other than state highways.

Alcohol-related crashes rose sharply in 2021 with 5,620 crashes, a number not seen since 2009, which had 5,905 crashes. The number of alcohol-related fatalities also saw a slight rise with 243 deaths in 2021 compared to 228 in 2020 – a 6.5% increase reversing recent downward trends in alcohol-related fatalities between 2017 and 2020. 

Bicycle-related fatalities also increased considerably with 45 fatalities in 2021, a 41% increase over the 32 deaths in 2020. Bicycle-related fatalities have risen each year since 2018.

The 2021 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report is available at azdot.gov/CrashFacts.

PHOENIX – With noticeable reductions in traffic volume during parts of 2020 due to the pandemic, the total number of crashes on all Arizona roadways fell sharply. Despite that, the number of traffic fatalities rose to their highest levels in 12 years, according to the most recent Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report published Thursday, July 29.

The number of those killed in traffic collisions rose from 980 in 2019 to 1,057 in 2020, while the total number of traffic crashes came in under 100,000 for the first time since 1993. The report also shows that Arizonans traveled an estimated nearly 5 billion fewer miles in 2020 – a 7% decrease from 2019. 

The Arizona Department of Transportation produces the annual Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report, which is a compilation of traffic crash reports provided by law enforcement agencies around the state. The report reflects crash data for all Arizona roadways, including city streets, county roads, reservation roads and state highways.

The 2020 report shows a decline across all categories in terms of number of crashes and injuries as one might expect from a year where travel was reduced and remote working and learning increased. However, the majority of the categories that track fatalities showed an increase, including deaths from speed-related crashes and lane-departure crashes and deaths from those not wearing seatbelts.

The rise in traffic fatalities last year illustrates that real change must begin in the driver’s seat as driver behavior is a major factor in traffic collisions.

Reducing crashes, fatalities and injuries can’t be solved by state agencies alone because more than two-thirds of crashes occur on roads other than state highways.

Two categories that saw fewer fatalities in 2020 than 2019 were alcohol-related and motorcycle-related crashes. Alcohol-related fatalities continued the trend over the last few years, declining to 181 deaths in 2020 compared to 258 in 2019 – a 30% decrease. Alcohol-related fatalities decreased by 21% from 2017 to 2019. Motorcycle-related fatalities saw a decrease from 170 deaths in 2019 to 160 in 2020.

The 2020 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report is available at azdot.gov/CrashFacts.

PHOENIX – Traffic crash fatalities on Arizona roadways in 2019 fell to their lowest total in three years, according to the Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report published Tuesday, June 30.

Total traffic crash fatalities was one of several key measurements that decreased in 2019 from 2018. The 2019 report also tallied fewer pedestrian fatalities, alcohol-related fatalities, fatalities of those not wearing seat belts and distracted drivers involved in crashes compared to the previous year.

The Arizona Department of Transportation produces the annual Motor Vehicle Crash Facts Report, which is a compilation of traffic crash reports provided by law enforcement agencies around the state. The report reflects crash data for all Arizona roadways, including city streets, county roads, reservation roads and state highways. 

While the total number of fatalities decreased, the total number of crashes in Arizona rose by 1.6% from 2018 to 2019. In the same timespan, Arizona saw the total number of licensed drivers increase by 1.3% to 5.38 million.

Reducing crashes, fatalities and injuries can’t be solved by state agencies alone because 68% of crashes occur on roads other than state highways. In fact, real change must begin in the driver’s seat because driver behavior is a factor in more than 90% of collisions. Some of those behaviors saw better results in 2019 than recent years, but there are still too many preventable crashes, fatalities and injuries occurring on Arizona’s roads.

The report shows that at least 10,491 drivers involved in collisions during 2019 engaged in “distracted driving behavior.” This is an 11.8% decrease from 2018, when the figure was 11,898. In April 2019, when Governor Doug Ducey signed HB 2318, it became illegal for drivers to talk or text on a cellphone while driving unless the device is in a hands-free mode.

Arizona continues to see fewer deaths related to drinking and driving and not wearing seat belts. Alcohol-related fatalities decreased for the third straight year, falling 21% since 2017, and the 256 fatalities in 2019 is the lowest total since 2010. The number of people killed not wearing seat belts fell for the fifth year in a row – from 258 in 2015 to 211 in 2019 – but unbuckled occupants still account for about a fifth of all traffic fatalities.

Pedestrian fatalities fell to their lowest total since 2016, with 220 in 2019. Most pedestrian fatalities occur on surface streets in urban areas, and pedestrians should cross streets only at marked crosswalks where drivers expect to see them.

Crashes involving bicyclists and motorcycles continued a years-long downward trend. The 1,275 total crashes involving bicyclists in 2019 are the fewest since at least 1991 – crashes involving bikes peaked in 2012 with 2,146. Crashes involving motorcycles declined for the third straight year and reached their lowest total (2,676) since 2004. Yet, despite the decrease in crashes for these categories, each saw a year-over-year increase in bicyclists and motorcycle operators and passengers killed in vehicle collisions.

The full 2019 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report is available at azdot.gov/CrashFacts.

PHOENIX – Arizona saw fewer crashes, fewer fatal crashes, fewer injury crashes and fewer crash-caused injuries on its roadways in 2018 compared to 2017, according to the 2018 Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report that was released today.

However, despite reductions in those key areas, the number of total traffic fatalities increased by 1%. In 2018, 1,010 people killed in vehicle collisions on all of Arizona’s roads compared to 998 in 2017.

The Arizona Department of Transportation produces the annual Motor Vehicle Crash Facts Report, which is a compilation of traffic crash reports provided to ADOT by law enforcement agencies around the state. The report reflects crash data for all Arizona roadways, including city streets, county roads, reservation roads and state highways.

The rising number of traffic fatalities can’t be solved by state agencies alone – 68% of crashes occur on roads other than state highways. In fact, real change must begin in the driver’s seat because driver behavior is a factor in more than 90% of crashes.

Some of those behaviors saw better results in 2018 versus 2017, but there are still too many preventable collisions, fatalities and injuries occurring on Arizona’s roads.

From 2017 to 2018, Arizona saw fewer deaths in alcohol-related crashes, speeding-related crashes and those not wearing seat belts. In fact, alcohol-related fatalities were reduced significantly last year, falling from 324 in 2017 to 261 in 2018. These reductions were accomplished despite Arizona seeing its total licensed drivers grow by nearly 90,000 to 5.3 million and the total number of vehicles registered in the state surpass 6 million for the first time.

The number of people killed not wearing seat belts fell for the fourth year in a row – from 258 in 2015 to 216 in 2018 – but unbuckled occupants still account for more than a fifth of all traffic fatalities.

Total crashes and fatalities involving motorcycles and bicyclists also saw a decrease. The total number of collisions involving motorcycles fell by 6% and fatalities dropped from 161 in 2017 to 150 in 2018. Collisions involving bicyclists saw a 14.6% decrease and fatalities (24) fell to the lowest total since 2012.

Pedestrians account for nearly a quarter of the 1,010 killed in vehicle crashes. Pedestrian-related fatalities have climbed from 155 in 2014 to 245 in 2018. Most pedestrian fatalities occur in urban areas and pedestrians should cross streets only at marked crosswalks where drivers expect to see them.

Officially, there were 11,898 drivers engaged in “distracted driving behavior” that were involved in collisions, including 42 fatal crashes. However, it is widely accepted that number of crashes caused by distracted drivers is much higher than reported because distracted drivers that cause crashes typically don’t admit to the act or died in the crash.

The 2018 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report and previous reports are available at azdot.gov/CrashFacts.

PHOENIX – A grant from the Arizona Governor's Office of Highway Safety will help the Arizona Department of Transportation enhance the collection of vehicle crash data that, in turn, will allow transportation engineers, law enforcement and researchers better examine traffic collision trends, as well as the causes of fatalities and serious injuries.

GOHS awarded a $79,000 grant to ADOT’s Crash Records Unit, which will fund the annual licensing fees for the use of Traffic and Criminal Software (TraCS), a leading data collection and management tool, and add a mapping utility to the software bundle. This grant also allows ADOT to provide access to TraCS to Arizona law enforcement agencies at no cost.

“TraCS is instrumental in gathering and analyzing crash data, making it a vital resource for traffic-safety stakeholders,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “We thank the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and Director Alberto Gutier for their efforts to make Arizona’s roads safer.”

ADOT is responsible under state law for compiling crash data and creating comprehensive reports that government agencies, nonprofit groups and other entities statewide use to improve traffic safety. That includes annual Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts reports.

The Arizona Governor's Office of Highway Safety is the focal point for highway safety issues in Arizona. The cabinet agency provides leadership by developing, promoting and coordinating programs; influencing public and private policy; and increasing public awareness of highway safety.

For more information about the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, please visit: gohs.az.gov.

For more information about ADOT, please visit: azdot.gov. 

PHOENIX – A grant from the Arizona Governor's Office of Highway Safety is helping the Arizona Department of Transportation collect fuller and more accurate vehicle crash data that, in turn, will help transportation engineers, law enforcement and researchers examine trends and causes of fatalities and serious injuries.

The $389,520 grant provides critical financial support for ADOT's Crash Records Unit, including annual licensing fees to use Traffic and Criminal Software (TraCS), a data collection and management tool. Through this grant money, ADOT provides access to TraCS to Arizona law enforcement agencies at no cost.

"TraCS is considered to be one of the best software platforms in the nation for managing electronic forms associated with traffic stops and crash reports," ADOT Director John Halikowski said. "Support from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety and Director Alberto Gutier is invaluable to collecting crash data and identifying trends, helping make Arizona’s roads safer."

ADOT is responsible under state law for compiling crash data and creating comprehensive reports that government agencies, nonprofit groups and other entities statewide use to improve traffic safety. That includes annual Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts reports.

The Arizona Governor's Office of Highway Safety is the focal point for highway safety issues in Arizona. The cabinet agency provides leadership by developing, promoting and coordinating programs; influencing public and private policy; and increasing public awareness of highway safety.

For more information about the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, please visit: gohs.az.gov.