About Target Zero
Why a Goal of Zero?
Our goal – of zero deaths and serious injuries in 2030 – is about the “one”…the individual. It’s about the Washington State Trooper struck by a truck. It’s about the child who went through the front window of a car because she wasn’t buckled in. It’s about the recent high school graduate who left the road and hit a tree. It’s about our colleagues, friends and family. How many of them are we okay with being killed or seriously injured in a crash? The answer is obvious: zero. So our goal, for every citizen the state of Washington, is zero. Learn more at targetzero.com
2013 Target Zero Update
“It’s great that Washington has gone ‘all-in’ in a collaborative, comprehensive effort to save lives and make our highways safer,” said WTSC Commissioner Swanger “The 2013 Target Zero update and its vision represents the best efforts of the WTSC and partners to reach our noble and obtainable goal of zero traffic deaths and serious injuries by the year 2030.”
The 2013 update of Target Zero is the fourth update of the plan since its inception in 2000. Although this is a revision of an existing plan, we took a completely fresh look at the data and strategies. This created extra work, but has resulted in a plan that is effective and useful for a wide range of Washington’s citizens, government policy makers and traffic safety professionals.
We started by bringing together the data experts from the state agencies that hold the critical traffic safety data:
- Collisions (WSDOT)
- Fatalities (WTSC)
- Driver and Vehicle Licensing (DOL)
- EMS/Hospital/Trauma data (DOH)
This group coordinated updating of the fatality and serious injury data and made recommendations – based on the latest data – on what factors were the biggest contributors to people dying and being seriously injured on our roadways. With this latest data in hand, all of the key players were brought together in a formal multi-organizational project structure to create the Target Zero Project Team and Steering Committee. Key players included representatives from the agencies that form the WTSC, Tribal organizations, regional planning organizations and private traffic safety organizations. There were:
- Engineers
- Law Enforcement Officers
- Collision Data Managers
- Epidemiologists
- Program Managers
- Communication Specialists
To gather input from a broader stakeholder group, a Target Zero Partners’ meeting was held in March 2013.There, more than 150 additional people involved in traffic safety across the state provided feedback and input on strategies for addressing the priority areas. In August 2013, a draft of the plan went out for external review by Tribes, partners and stakeholders.
Additional Resources
Motorcycle Information – Washington State Department of Licensing
Motorcycle Testing – Washington State Department of Licensing
Motorcycle Safety Foundation – The Motorcycle Safety Foundation® is the internationally recognized developer of the comprehensive, research-based, Rider Education and Training System (RETS).
Washington Traffic Safety Commission – While overall traffic crash fatalities continue to decrease in Washington, motorcyclist fatalities continue to rise.
Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month – Traffic Safety Commission
Ride Sober or Get Pulled Over / Don’t Drive and Ride – Traffic Safety Commission
