State motorist deaths reflect national increase

Traffic deaths in Washington state increased sharply last year, part of a broader national trend that saw road fatalities nationwide reach their highest level since 1990.

In Washington state, 647 people died in vehicle crashes last year, a substantial increase from the 567 deaths recorded in 2004. The biggest reason was an increase in alcohol-related deaths, according to Dick Doane, a research analyst at the Washington State Traffic Safety Commission.

Nationwide, the glum statistics were propelled by an increase in motorcycle and pedestrian deaths.

Some 43,443 people were killed on the highways last year, up 1.4 percent from 2004, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Tuesday. It was the highest number in a single year since 1990.

The fatality rate grew slightly to 1.47 deaths per 100 million miles traveled, an increase from 1.45 in 2004. That was the first increase since 1986.

Said Acting Transportation Secretary Maria Cino: "Motorcyclists need to wear their helmets, drivers need to buckle up and all motorists need to stay sober."

Despite the 2005 increase in deaths, the overall trend of the past few decades has been toward safer cars and roads.

The traffic-death rate in Washington last year was about one-fifth of what it was 25 years ago, Doane said.

In Washington, the sharpest increases in fatalities last year occurred in King, Snohomish, Yakima and Clark counties. About 45 percent of Washington traffic deaths were alcohol-related, according to the NHTSA statistics.

Motorcycles were involved in 74 state traffic fatalities. In Washington, motorcycle registration has gone up 60 percent since 1999. The chances of getting involved in a fatal accident while driving a motorcycle are nearly 40 times higher than those associated with a passenger car, according to state traffic officials.

"Some people think it's a baby-boomer phenomenon — older people with money wanting to relive their glory days," said Doane. "But the bikes they're riding today are much more powerful."

On the whole, state roads are safer than the national average. Washington had 10.3 fatalities per 100,000 people, compared to a ratio of 14.7 per 100,000 people nationwide.

Deaths up in many areas

Traffic-related deaths increased in 26 states and the District of Columbia. North Dakota had a 23 percent increase — from 100 to 123.

Iowa and Washington state also posted double-digit percentage increases. Florida had the biggest overall increase: 299 more deaths, totaling 3,543 — a 9.2 percent rise over the previous year.

The annual report said motorcycle fatalities rose 13 percent to 4,553 in 2005.

Tim Buche, president of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, said the increase could not be linked to a single issue, citing the impairment and inattention of other drivers and motorcycle riders who drive impaired, untrained or without protective gear.

Several states have moved to repeal mandatory helmet laws in recent years, generating criticism from safety groups who say relaxed laws lead to more deaths and injuries.

Motorcycle deaths have increased 115 percent since 1997.

Twenty states and the District of Columbia have laws requiring all motorcyclists to wear helmets, while 26 states require younger riders to wear them.

Four states — Colorado, Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire — have no helmet law.

Fifty-five percent of the passenger-vehicle occupants killed were not wearing seat belts.

Pedestrian deaths rise

NHTSA said it was also investigating the increase in pedestrian deaths, which rose from 4,675 in 2004 to 4,881 in 2005.

The government said the

number of deaths of drivers between the ages of 16 and 20 declined by 4.6 percent, to 3,374 last year. Fatal crashes involving young drivers also decreased.

The number of motorists killed in rollover crashes increased 2.1 percent to 10,816. The number of rollover fatalities in sport-utility vehicles dropped 1.8 percent.

Safety groups said more attention should be placed on traffic issues, arguing that a single airplane crash could lead to public outcries while more than 40,000 deaths on the roads fail to generate much response.

Information from The Associated Press and Seattle Times staff reporter Joe Mullin was used in this report.