ACHI announces new analysis of traffic fatalities in Arkansas

Written By Apo November 25, 2024 Add Comment

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — As many families load their suitcases and fill their gas tanks to hit the road for Thanksgiving, a new resource from the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement reminds us that traveling by car in Arkansas can be dangerous.

A new interactive dashboard from ACHI reveals that there were nearly 4,100 roadway fatalities between 2016 and 2022. In half of those fatal incidents, passengers and/or drivers were not wearing seatbelts. In 20% of the deadly crashes, at least one of the vehicles involved was speeding.

The dashboard was created in a partnership with the Arkansas State Police. It contains more information on where the fatalities occurred around the state, trends over time, and the role of risky behaviors -- like speeding or not wearing a helmet on a motorcycle -- in those instances.

“Holidays are a time for families and friends to come together, but increased traffic on the state’s roadways unfortunately raises the risk of traffic fatalities,” said ACHI Health Policy Director Craig Wilson. “Arkansas has one of the highest roadway fatality rates in the country, and fatalities have increased in recent years. I encourage all Arkansans to protect themselves, their families, and others by buckling up, obeying speed limits, and being attentive to pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.”

Here are some other key findings from the analysis of fatal incidents between 2016 and 2022:

In 2022, Arkansas had the fourth-highest roadway fatality rate in the nation with 21.1 deaths per 100,000 people.
Roadway fatalities increased in Arkansas during the COVID-19 pandemic, peaking in 2021 with 691 fatalities that year.
57% of motorcycle occupants who died were not wearing a helmet.
Monroe, Lawrence and Calhoun counties had the highest rates of roadway fatalities in the state. Overall, rural counties in Arkansas experienced higher rates of roadway fatalities compared to urban counties.

from KARK https://ift.tt/iFCgvJG