Explore what’s in the Draft Regional Safety Action Plan

At the heart of PSRC’s Regional Safety Action Plan, we find a shared commitment to protect every road user in the central Puget Sound region. By conducting a comprehensive safety assessment, PSRC has set a clear benchmark for regional safety, shedding light on critical areas which demand our attention. It’s clear that some parts of our region face greater challenges than others. With this plan, PSRC is striving to harmoniously blend with existing frameworks, fostering a unified vision for safety in order to create a region where every journey is a safe one, regardless of where it takes place.

Appendix A
State of Safety in the Region Report Appendix B
Engagement and Collaboration Report Appendix C
Comprehensive List of Strategies Appendix D
State of the Practice Review & Local Jurisdiction Policy Inventory

Traffic Safety in the Region

The central Puget Sound region experienced a total of 205,093 injuries and deaths due to road crashes between 2016 and 2023. Furthermore, 1 in 16 people involved in an injury-level crash were seriously injured or killed.

Why is this happening? It’s not always clear, but there are a variety of contributing factors, often overlapping.

These include:

  • Vehicle travel in the wrong direction
  • Speeding
  • Inexperienced drivers
  • Impaired users
  • Distractions for drivers or others on roadways
  • Running red lights and stop signs

PSRC evaluated crash data obtained from the Washington State Department of Transportation Crash Division.

Dive Into the Data

Tools & Strategies

The Strategies Toolbox is an easy-to-understand guide to safety improvements that are appropriate to address the most prevalent types of crashes that emerged from the safety analysis and public outreach. The toolbox includes dozens of safety strategies to address the unique crash situations in the central Puget Sound region, providing PSRC members with a shared understanding of the most effective safety treatments in different contexts as well as implementation guidance.

In our mission to enhance safety, we employ a dual-pronged approach.

Firstly, we utilize Design and Engineering Strategies. These strategies are supported by scientific research and expressed through Crash Modification Factors (CMFs), which help us estimate potential safety improvements. When a formal CMF is not available, we refer to the most credible research at hand.

Secondly, we implement Planning, Policy, and Program Strategies. These strategies often incorporate design and engineering principles and are informed by real-world examples and successful case studies from various communities, including those in the PSRC region.

Sample Tools & Strategies

Illustration of a streetlamp with a glowing light, set against a gray background with a large yellow circle resembling light spread.

Improve Lighting

Illustration of two people bicycling on a bike lane alongside planters and a parked car, all marked on a green background.

Separated Bike Lanes

A no turn on red traffic sign displayed on a white background, indicating a restriction for turning right at a red light.

No Right on Red

A cartoon illustration of a security camera mounted on a pole, emphasizing surveillance in a playful style.

Automated Speed Enforcement Cameras

A person using a cane carefully crosses the street, demonstrating mobility and awareness of their surroundings.

High-Visibility Crosswalks

A drawing depicting a rail featuring a prominent yellow and black striped pattern.

Crash Cushions at Fixed Features

A speed limit sign displaying a yellow background with the message

Speed Feedback Sign

Implementation

Road-related fatalities and serious injuries in our community are on the rise, necessitating immediate action from all stakeholders involved in road safety. The Safe System Approach emphasizes our shared responsibility for improving street safety, aiming to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries. The Regional Safety Action Plan serves as a framework for PSRC and partner agencies to strategize and implement safety-focused projects and policies. This chapter outlines the actionable steps we are taking to advance this plan, emphasizing our commitment to creating safer roads.