Washington Stater eleases plan to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030

OLYMPIA— The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) announced the publication of the 2024 Target Zero Plan. Target Zero is Washington’s goal to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries on Washington’s roads by 2030. The updated plan reflects the state’s ongoing commitment to traffic safety and outlines a comprehensive approach to addressing the critical factors contributing to fatal and serious collisions.

Since its inception in 2000, Target Zero has provided a strategic roadmap for eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries across Washington State. The 2024 plan is based on three foundational elements to help reach the goal: Prosocial Traffic Safety Culture, the Safe System Approach, and an Equity Framework.

“We simply cannot continue to see crashes, deaths, and injuries increase on our roadways,” said Secretary of Transportation Roger Millar of WSDOT. “We know several ways to keep everyone safer while expanding access to all, and this plan and recommendations include important steps to inform state funding decisions and achieve our 2030 safety goals. We want everyone – travelers and roadway workers – to make it home safe to their loved ones at the end of the day.”

Some of the key highlights of the plan include:

The Safe System Approach – a fundamental shift in traffic safety strategy that acknowledges human error and the physical vulnerability of road users. It prioritizes creating a transportation system that accommodates human mistakes without leading to severe or fatal outcomes. It focuses on six key elements: safer land use, safer people, safer roads, safer vehicles, safer speeds, and post-crash care, ensuring a holistic strategy for reducing traffic-related harm.

Shared Responsibility – An approach where we make decisions and take actions that create a system with adequate defenses to prevent harm.

Policy Recommendations – Recommendations include lowering the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit to .05 to combat impaired driving, increasing strategies to encourage safer driver speeds, providing financial assistance to make driver education more affordable and accessible, and prioritizing active transportation infrastructure to make travel safer for vulnerable road users.

“Traffic fatalities have devastating impacts on families and communities, and we must use every tool available to eliminate these tragic losses,” said Shelly Baldwin, WTSC Director. “The 2024 Target Zero Plan outlines a clear path to achieve safer roads for everyone in Washington. Through collaboration, innovation, and unwavering commitment, we can reach our goal of zero traffic deaths by 2030.”

The release of the 2024 Target Zero Plan comes at a critical time, as Washington has experienced an increase in traffic-related fatalities in recent years. The WTSC encourages all stakeholders, including policymakers, transportation planners, and the public, to engage with the plan and support its life-saving initiatives.

For more information about the 2024 Target Zero Plan and the complete document, visit https://targetzero.com.