Seattle Car Accident Statistics
Seattle-area residents know how difficult driving can be in the metro area. A variety of factors contribute to the high number of traffic accidents in our city.
The population of Seattle is 733,919, and the population of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area is nearly 4.1 million as of 2022. This makes the Seattle area the 15th most populous metro area in the U.S., by one estimate.
Seattle-area drivers are continually ranked near the bottom for driver safety when compared to other metro areas in the U.S. A report by Allstate Insurance ranked Seattle number 155 out of 200 cities in terms of driver safety. Drivers in Seattle file an auto insurance claim an average of once every 7.7 years.
Contributing Factors To Accidents in Seattle
The main contributing factors to these accidents were distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding, and failure to yield to pedestrians.
Traffic congestion also makes for difficult and frustrating driving conditions in Seattle. On average, Seattle drivers spend up to 138 hours a year sitting in traffic – the national average is 97. Seattle is ranked the 6th worst city in the U.S. for traffic congestion.
2023 Car Accident Statistics
In 2023, the Washington State Department of Transportation reported 5,587 auto-related accidents. Unfortunately, these crashes resulted in a total of 27 fatalities and 234 serious injuries. The good news, when comparing data from 2022, there were significantly fewer crashes and a decrease in total injuries and fatalities.
| Fatal and Serious Injury Fatal and Suspected Serious Injury Crashes in 2023 |
257
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Number of Vehicles Involved |
409
|
|
| Fatal Crashes |
26
|
|
| Suspected Serious Injury Crashes |
231
|
|
| Fatalities |
28
|
|
| Suspected Serious Injuries |
267
|
|
| Alcohol-Impaired Crashes |
35
|
|
| Alcohol-Impaired Drivers, Pedestrians and Bicyclists |
37
|
|
| Drug Impaired Crashes |
18
|
|
| Drug Impaired Drivers, Pedestrians and Bicyclists |
19
|
|
| Alcohol And/Or Drug Impaired Crashes |
46
|
|
| Alcohol And/Or Drug Impaired Drivers, Pedestrians and Bicyclists |
48
|
|
| Had Been Drinking Crashes |
35
|
|
| Had Been Drinking Drivers, Pedestrians and Bicyclists |
37
|
|
| Speed Related Crashes |
43
|
|
| Speeding Drivers Involved |
43
|
|
| Inattentive/Distraction-Related Crashes |
55
|
|
| Inattentive/ Distracted Drivers Pedestrians And Bicyclists |
66
|
|
| Drowsy Driver-Involved Crashes |
3
|
|
| Drowsy Drivers Involved |
3
|
|
| Young Drivers 16-25 Involved Crashes |
76
|
|
| Young Drivers 16-25 Involved |
81
|
|
| Older 65+ Driver Involved Crashes |
34
|
|
| Older 65+ Drivers Involved |
34
|
|
| Older 70+ Driver Involved Crashes |
18
|
|
| Older 70+ Drivers Involved |
18
|
|
| Heavy Truck-Involved Crashes |
16
|
|
| Heavy Trucks Involved |
17
|
|
| School Bus-Involved Crashes |
1
|
|
| School Buses Involved |
1
|
|
| Motorcycle Involved Crashes |
44
|
|
| Motorcycles Involved |
44
|
|
| Pedestrian Involved Crashes |
70
|
|
| Pedestrians Involved |
72
|
|
| Bicyclist Involved Crashes |
32
|
|
| Bicyclists Involved |
33
|
|
| Wrong Way Vehicle Crashes |
5
|
|
| Wrong Way Vehicles Involved |
5
|
|
| Unrestrained Occupant-Involved Crashes |
13
|
|
| Unrestrained Occupants Involved |
15
|
|
| Workzone Involved Crashes |
3
|
|
| Wildlife Involved Crashes |
0
|
|
| Run Off the Road Crashes |
33
|
|
| Opposite Direction Crashes |
3
|
|
| Lane Departure Crashes |
36
|
|
| Train Involved Crashes |
0
|
|
| Intersection Related Crashes |
136
|
|
| Single Vehicle Crashes |
130
|
|
| Multiple Vehicle Crashes |
127
|
|
| At Angle Crashes |
44
|
|
| Rear-End Crashes |
17
|
|
| Fixed Object Crashes |
29
|
|
| Overturn Crashes |
10
|
|
| Cable Barrier Crashes |
0
|
|
| Utility Pole Crashes |
4
|
|
| Catastrophic Event Crashes |
0
|
2022 Car Accident Statistics
Car accident statistics in Seattle continue to reflect a concerning trend. In 2022, the Washington State Department of Transportation reported 8,192 auto-related accidents. Unfortunately, 36 people were killed and 243 were seriously injured in Seattle in 2022.
Overview of Seattle Distracted Driving Accidents
- In 2022, Seattle reported a total of 1,431 crashes involving a distracted driver
- Cell phone usage contributed to 52 of these reported accidents
- According to the WSDOT report, there were 74 total crashes involving distracted teen drivers (16 to 19 years of age)
Overview of Alcohol-Involved Accidents in Seattle
- In 2022, there were a total of 579 alcohol-involved crashes in Seattle. Six people were killed and another 29 were seriously injured.
- There were 14 crashes involving a pedestrian that was under the influence of alcohol and 3 crashes involving a cyclist under the influence
Seattle’s Busiest Roads
Like any metropolitan area, certain areas are busier and more dangerous than others. According to the Seattle Department of Transportation, the busiest roads in Seattle on the average weekday are:
- Northeast 45th Street (west of Roosevelt Way Northeast)
- Mercer Street (west of Fairview)
- East Marginal Way South (south of Alaska Street)
- Aurora Avenue North (south of Harrison)
- West Seattle Bridge. Every day, more than 90,000 drivers cross this bridge.
Additionally, I-5, I-90, I-405, and other interstate highways in Seattle can get extremely congested, due to commuter traffic, Sea-Tac Airport traffic, downtown traffic, and more.
Additional Resources: [Study] The Deadliest Highways in the United States
[Interactive Map] See the Deadliest Areas on US Highways
Injured? Contact our Seattle car accident lawyers today for a free case evaluation.
Seattle’s Vision Zero Plan
Seattle’s Vision Zero plan is a comprehensive plan to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries on city streets by 2030. This initiative aligns with an international movement focused on promoting street safety and prioritizing the well-being of all individuals who use Seattle’s roads.
Vision Zero represents a shift in the way we approach transportation safety, encouraging a culture of compassion and respect. Vision Zero launched in 2015 and continues to refine its strategies based on best practices, all while remaining committed to its equally important climate action and racial equity goals.
Considering all of this, Seattle drivers should take driving safety very seriously. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Driver negligence in its many forms can have dire effects on driver safety. The result? More car accidents, pedestrian accidents, and other motor vehicle accidents within the city leading to more serious injuries and unnecessary deaths.
Additional Resources: 10 Most Dangerous States for Pedestrians
LOCAL PERSONAL INJURY REPRESENTATION
If you or a loved one have been injured in a car or pedestrian accident in Seattle, get a local personal injury attorney on your case as soon as possible.
At Elk & Elk, we are experienced d, approachable, and we get results. You don’t have to face the aftermath of an accident alone. Whether you were injured by a driver who was distracted, drunk, speeding, or otherwise negligent, we can help you.
Schedule a free consultation at our downtown Seattle office. You can call us at 1-844-ELK-WEST. We take cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you owe us no attorney fees unless we recover money for you.