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Recently, the Arizona Department of Transportation released a report on traffic accidents that happened in the state in 2017. Among the things this report points to is 2017 being a particularly deadly year out on Arizona’s roads.
According to the report, there were 919 fatal crashes in the state last year. They resulted in 1,000 fatalities. These are the highest fatality and fatal crash numbers the state has seen since 2007.
Last year continued the state’s recent trend of rising fatalities out on the roads. For the past three years now (2015-2017) the state has seen annual increases in both fatal crashes and traffic fatalities.
Why do you think Arizona has been seeing increases in fatal accidents lately? What do you see as the biggest dangers currently facing the state’s motorists?
A large number of the state’s traffic fatalities for 2017 happened here in Maricopa County. Last year, the county saw 435 deadly accidents and 463 traffic fatalities. As a note though, unlike the state as a whole, traffic deaths actually went down a little in the county last year. Specifically, the county saw 16 fewer fatalities out on the roads in 2017 than it did in 2016.
None of the six counties neighboring Maricopa County also had a drop in traffic deaths. Five saw increases, while one (La Paz County) saw its fatality total hold steady.
As the numbers from the report serve as a reminder of, tragedy sometimes happens out on the state’s roads. When accidents result in serious injuries or deaths, the lives of the families affected can be forever changed. When coping with the aftermath of an accident that caused serious injury or took a loved one’s life, it can be important for individuals to get the support they need. This includes legal support when pursuing justice, relief and closure through the state’s legal system.