While driving is never a truly safe experience, it is nice to know that our streets are as safe as they have ever been in the last five years. This is according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s yearly Pennsylvania Crash Facts & Statistics, which most recently, released our county’s accident numbers.
What is the Pennsylvania Crash Facts & Statistics?
This PDOT booklet is published by PDOT’s Bureau of Maintenance and Operations. It is a statistical review of all the reported motor vehicle accidents in our state. The booklet is published every year according to Pennsylvania Vehicle Code (75 Pa. C.S., Chapter 37, Subchapter C).
Blair County’s accident numbers
For context, our county has 1% of the state’s population (121,829), and it accounts for about that percentage of vehicle accidents in Pennsylvania. In 2015, there were 23 fatal motor vehicle accidents, which accounted for 1.9% of that year’s overall fatalities. Last year, that number was only seven, which was 0.7% of 2019’s overall fatalities. Pedestrian fatalities also fell from three to zero. And, while these numbers may seem small, moving from a 1.9% to 0.7% of overall fatalities, is a drop of over 60%, and our county has effectively eliminated pedestrian fatalities. Those numbers are huge!
Pennsylvania’s overall numbers
This trend of our streets getting safer is actually one that is playing out across the entire state. Over 125,000 crashes were reported across the state in 2019. These accidents killed 1,059 people and injured another 76,243. This was the lowest fatality rate ever recorded, and the total number of crashes is the eighth lowest total since 1950.
Of course, while pedestrian fatalities have been eliminated in our county, accidents still occur in Altoona. And, when one is involved in a car accident, after 911, an attorney should be their next call to ensure their rights are protected.
