The Arizona Dept. of Transportation (ADOT) reported that traffic fatalities hit a new high in 2022. They want drivers to slow down as speed was the main culprit.
The latest annual report said there were 1,294 traffic fatalities across the state last year, up 8.6% over 2021 when there were 1,192 deaths. This can be seen in the latest "Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts 2022" annual report.
Moreover, since 2013 when there were just 849 deaths on AZ roads, fatalities have risen by 445 annually, or 52.4% in the last 10 years.
This means that Arizona highways are getting more dangerous. The report shows that of the 1,294 fatalities in 2022, alcohol-related causes accounted for 223 or 17.2%.
Moreover, 426 of these deaths were speed-related, or almost one-third of all crashes. These numbers represent crashes where the violation "speed too fast for conditions" or "exceeded lawful speed" was marked on the crash report.
In fact, these two types of behavior represent the highest cause of crashes throughout the state. That means that other behaviors such as other traffic violations, and even aggressive driving did not cause as many crashes as speed-related behavior.
As might be expected, Maricopa County, where Phoenix and its suburbs are located, had the most crashes, followed by Pima County (Tucson).
Avoid Distractions and Be Patient
“Every single traffic fatality is an unspeakable loss for families and for this state,” ADOT Director Jennifer Toth said. “ADOT and our law enforcement partners need every driver, pedestrian, bicyclist and motorcyclist working together to prevent crashes, injuries and deaths.”
Major Jason Leonard, Chief of Staff of the Arizona Department of Public Safety’s Highway Patrol Division, said that most crashes are preventable. He said drivers can do two things to avoid crashes:
"First, avoid distractions and remain focused on the task of driving. Second, be patient and drive within the law, especially relating to speed, passing and distracted driving."
The 2022 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report and reports for previous years are available at azdot.gov/CrashFacts.
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Mark R. Hake, CFA, writes articles on national and local news, stocks, and market events at InvestorPlace.com, Barchart.com, Medium.com, and Newsbreak.com as well as TalkMarkets.
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