Target Zero 2024 Report: Why Road Safety in Washington Needs Urgent Action

Washington State adopted the Target Zero plan in 2000 with an ambitious goal: to eliminate all serious injury and fatal crashes by 2030. Over the years, we’ve seen signs that targeted efforts can make a difference. But the Target Zero 2024 report delivers sobering news: Washington is now trending in the wrong direction. In fact, traffic fatalities reached their highest level since 1990.

Let’s break down what the data shows and how the state is responding.

The Alarming Numbers: What the Data Tells Us

The 227-page 2024 Target Zero report reveals a troubling reality about Washington’s roads. Key findings include:

810 traffic deaths in 2023, an 85% increase since 2013.
3,413 serious injuries, up 78% over the same period.
Impaired driving crashes: fatalities rose 29%, serious injuries 40% (2020–2022 vs. 2017–2019).
Pedestrian and cyclist deaths increased 19%.
Youth-involved crashes saw 23% more fatalities and 27% more serious injuries.

The data paints a stark picture: despite years of effort, Washington is grappling with a road safety crisis.

Inequity on Washington’s Roads

One of the core challenges the Target Zero report highlights is that not all Washingtonians face equal risk on the road. Certain communities, particularly Native Americans, experience disproportionately high rates of traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries.

Key findings include:

Native American residents are three times more likely to die in a crash than members of any other ethnic group in Washington.
Lower-income and rural communities often lack basic safety infrastructure like sidewalks, lighting, or safe crossings.
Systemic issues, such as road design, emergency response delays, and uneven law enforcement practices, contribute to these disparities.
Historic underinvestment in transportation equity has left many communities behind.

Reaching the Target Zero goal means facing these disparities head-on. And it’s going to take more than just fixing roads. Washington also needs to think about how we expand access, redesign streets with safety in mind, educate the public, and improve emergency response for every resident. The report also points out how important it is to work closely with Tribal governments and leaders so that solutions are culturally informed.

Should Washington Move the Goalpost?

At this point, you might be wondering: was Washington’s Target Zero goal just too ambitious? After all, with crash numbers heading in the wrong direction, wouldn’t it make sense to adjust the goal or timeframe?

The 2024 report addresses this directly:

“Moving the target farther into the future will not get us closer to our goal. Zero deaths remains the only acceptable roadway safety outcome.”

In the letter accompanying the report, former Governor Jay Inslee added: “it’s time to redouble our efforts.”

Despite the sobering stats, there are still reasons to stay hopeful:

Washington has made significant progress before, reducing fatalities by 32% between 2005 and 2013.
148 of the state’s 327 cities and counties recorded zero traffic fatalities over the last five years.
Finland, which implemented a similar national safety strategy, saw two-thirds of its municipalities report zero traffic deaths. In 2023, it recorded its lowest fatality count in 80 years.

It’s also worth remembering: Target Zero doesn’t aim to prevent every single crash. The focus is on preventing serious injuries and fatalities, and when a crash does happen, making sure it isn’t deadly. Even small improvements can save lives.

Safety System Approach: a Multi-Faceted Solution

It’s clear that solving Washington’s roadway safety crisis won’t come from a single solution. In 2019, the Target Zero team adopted the Safe System Approach (SSA), a strategy that looks at every angle of traffic safety and aims to reduce the severity of crashes, not just the number of them.

Here are the six key focus areas:

Safer road users: Encouraging drivers to make safer choices, like buckling up, staying focused, and never driving impaired.
Safer land use planning: Designing communities so people can live closer to work, school, and essentials, and have access to public transportation.
Safer speeds: Managing speed through better signage, enforcement, and community education to reduce crash risk and severity.
Safer roads: Engineering roadways that separate different types of traffic and eliminate design features that increase danger for all users.
Safer vehicles: Supporting vehicle technology that protects everyone on the road, from passengers to pedestrians.
Post-crash care: Ensuring emergency responders can arrive quickly and provide the right care to save lives and reduce long-term injuries.

This approach isn’t just about changing driver behavior. It relies on a collaborative effort from transportation officials, public health leaders, law enforcement, city planners, and educators—all working together to create a safer system for everyone.

Can Policy Help Turn the Tide?

Policy is one tool Washington can use to put the Safety System Approach into action. Backed by strong data, the Target Zero 2024 report outlines a few key legislative recommendations:

Lower the legal BAC limit to 0.05 to help prevent impaired driving
Expand access to affordable driver’s education so more Washingtonians, especially teens and underserved communities, can learn to drive safely
Improve speed enforcement on all types of roads, not just highways

Whether these recommendations become law is still uncertain, but they offer a clear path forward if we’re serious about saving lives.

What Can Washington Drivers Do Today?

Of course, we want our local and state leaders to take action, but road safety isn’t just their responsibility. Each of us has a role to play in making our streets safer.

Yes, it starts with the basics: following speed limits, staying focused, and never driving under the influence. But there are other impactful actions you might not have considered:

Report road hazards to local agencies, like broken signs, missing crosswalks, or poorly lit intersections.
Speak up for your community. Advocate for safer infrastructure in your neighborhood, like traffic calming measures, sidewalks, or better signage.
Support safe driving habits among your loved ones, especially teen drivers or aging parents who may need a refresher.

These small actions can help us arrive collectively at our goal faster.

Need Help After a Serious Crash?

While prevention is always the goal, crashes still happen. When they do, the aftermath can be overwhelming.

If you or a loved one has been seriously hurt in a collision, the team at Ladenburg Law is here to help. We’re proud to serve our community with compassion, experience, and results. Give us a call at (253) 272-5226 or fill out the short form on our website and we’ll be in touch.