(The Center Square) – Traffic deaths in Arizona rose for the third consecutive year, increasing 8.6% in 2022 compared to 2021.
According to the state’s annual report on motor vehicle crashes on all roads, including local streets, there were 1,294 traffic fatalities across the state last year. Injuries from crashes totaled 52,411.
Figures show crashes associated with speeding resulted in most of the deaths and injuries.
“Pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorcyclist deaths all increased last year,” according to a July 31 news release. “Overall, the 2022 traffic fatality total is the second-highest ever recorded in Arizona and only slightly behind the 1,301 deaths recorded in 2006. The number of traffic fatalities in the state has gone up every year since 2019.”
There was a 16.2 % increase in pedestrian deaths in 2022 compared to 2021, totaling 302.
There were 228 motorcyclist fatalities in crashes during 2022, a 36.5% increase.
“Nearly three times as many motorcycle crashes involved riders and passengers wearing helmets, yet 42% of the fatalities in which authorities could determine helmet use involved riders and passengers who weren’t wearing helmets,” according to the news release.
There were 223 fatalities and 3,538 injuries in crashes related to alcohol, accounting for 17.2% and 6.8% of the totals, respectively.
In 2022, a total of 119,991 crashes happened in Arizona, according to the 2022 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report.
The Arizona Department of Transportation produces the annual Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report, which is a compilation of traffic crash reports provided by law enforcement agencies around the state, according to the news release.
