Washington State reached a record number of traffic fatalities in 2022, with 750 people killed. Distracted driving was responsible for 13% of those deaths. 100 people statewide are killed each year because someone made the unsafe, dangerous decision not to focus on the road.
Through a grant from GHSA and General Motors, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) funded a pilot program and evaluated a distracted driving prevention project in Pierce County, the state’s second most populated county. The WTSC conducted a high visibility enforcement (HVE) campaign and implemented community-specific countermeasures that included the use of driver feedback signs.
High Visibility Enforcement Campaign with Smart Sign Data
The WTSC used Smart Signs to track driver behavior, including distraction. The Pierce County Target Zero Task Force utilized the data to inform distracted driving, speed and seatbelt use enforcement throughout the county and throughout the project timeframe. There were 15 different law enforcement agencies engaged in enforcement activities.
Pierce County Target Zero Coalition’s SmartSigns media outreach campaign garnered nearly 20 million impressions in Washington state and over 972 million impressions nationally.
Ongoing Project Impact
The data continues to be analyzed, and the WTSC will make changes to their programs accordingly. This is a replicable program with strong data and evaluation. Washington noted that theft and vandalism of the SmartSigns was an issue; this should be addressed where possible in future efforts.