Seattle Vision Zero Data: Deaths Fall, Peds Still Most Vulnerable

SEATTLE, WA - SDOT says that traffic deaths dropped by 25 percent between 2018 and 2017, but the data show that in any year, pedestrians are still among the most likely to die in traffic collisions.

SDOT will present new Vision Zero data to the City Council Sustainability and Transportation Committee on Tuesday. The data show that 14 people - including bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists - died in 2018 collisions compared to 19 in 2017. Six of those 2018 deaths were pedestrians.

Vision Zero is Seattle's effort to reduce traffic deaths on city streets to zero by 2030. Since 2007, Seattle has never had a year when traffic deaths were higher than 24. But in that same span, deaths have only dropped below 15 three times. Except 2011, pedestrian deaths have totaled between five and 10 between 2007 and 2018.

And collisions involving pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists appear to be the hardest to confront. Only 7 percent of crashes involved those three groups, but they account for 89 percent of traffic deaths, according to SDOT.

The release of data follows a hit-and-run collision on Feb. 25 where a 78-year-old bicyclist was killed. He was hit on Rainier Avenue South in the Rainier Beach area along a stretch of road that's not being targeted for any safety upgrades this year.

In 2019, SDOT has several areas targeted for upgrades, including:

Rainier Avenue Phase 2: An area between Henderson and Kenny streets will get a northbound bus lane, an intermittent southbound bus lane, and SDOT is "gathering input and designing short-term safety improvements."

35th Avenue Southwest Phase 2: SDOT will install a new crossing signal at 35th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Graham Street.

Northeast 65th Street: See project details here.

Southwest Roxbury Street: SDOT plans to pave the stretch between 15th and 35th avenues with improvements "for people, biking, walking, driving, and taking transit."

23rd Avenue East: Three intersections will get skid-resistant treatments to reduce crashes:

• 24th Avenue East and East Louisa Street
• 24th Avenue East and East Lynn Street
• East Helen Street and Turner Way