They’re scary, expensive and happen five times daily in Yakima
YAKIMA - Ice and snow covered streets had cars slipping and sliding all over the place in Yakima over the past few days. Surprisingly, KIMA learned the odds you were in a car wreck are substantially down. We investigated what’s behind the decline.
They're dangerous, expensive, and happen on average five times every single day in Yakima. Roy Anderson knows that stat all too well.
"I was on 40th Avenue and I was going to make a left turn on Chestnut,” he said. “The traffic was really heavy. I started to make a left turn, and another car and I connected."
And cars like Roy’s connected 1800 times last year. It's a big number, but one that's actually down nearly 20% from 2010.
So where are you the most likely to be in one of those accidents? KIMA learned 1st and Washington as well as 3rd and Washington, 16th and Nob Hill, and First Street and Yak Avenue are some of the worst. Combined, the intersections had over 50 crashes - and the attention of Yakima Police.
"The traffic division tries to, along with patrol, saturate those areas where people call and complain and identify those as problem areas,” said Sgt. Shawn Boyle.
And Roy believes it. He said that jump in police presence in those areas had him expecting that decline.
“More people are taking better care of their cars,” he said. “They’re more observant on their way around."
KIMA also learned the number of folks getting injured is also down from 2010.
They're dangerous, expensive, and happen on average five times every single day in Yakima. Roy Anderson knows that stat all too well.
"I was on 40th Avenue and I was going to make a left turn on Chestnut,” he said. “The traffic was really heavy. I started to make a left turn, and another car and I connected."
And cars like Roy’s connected 1800 times last year. It's a big number, but one that's actually down nearly 20% from 2010.
So where are you the most likely to be in one of those accidents? KIMA learned 1st and Washington as well as 3rd and Washington, 16th and Nob Hill, and First Street and Yak Avenue are some of the worst. Combined, the intersections had over 50 crashes - and the attention of Yakima Police.
"The traffic division tries to, along with patrol, saturate those areas where people call and complain and identify those as problem areas,” said Sgt. Shawn Boyle.
And Roy believes it. He said that jump in police presence in those areas had him expecting that decline.
“More people are taking better care of their cars,” he said. “They’re more observant on their way around."
KIMA also learned the number of folks getting injured is also down from 2010.
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