54 CRASHES IN
ALASKA
2012

The timing of fatal crashes shifted between the two periods. In 2012, the peak day for fatal crashes was Friday with 11 incidents, whereas in 2011, Monday and Tuesday were the peak days with 11 incidents each. The peak hour also moved from the afternoon to the evening, shifting from 3 p.m. in 2011 (5 crashes) to 9 p.m. in 2012 (6 crashes).

In both 2012 and 2011, most fatal crashes occurred in clear weather and during daylight hours. Clear conditions were a factor in 30 fatal crashes in 2012 and 33 in 2011, while daylight was a factor in 33 and 37 crashes, respectively. There was a notable decrease in fatal crashes occurring in snow, which dropped from 5 incidents in 2011 to 1 in 2012.

The most common vehicle makes involved in fatal crashes remained consistent, with Ford (15 vehicles in 2012, 20 in 2011) and Chevrolet (12 in 2012, 17 in 2011) leading in both years. However, the age distribution of people involved in these crashes shifted significantly. In 2012, the 26-34 age group was the most represented with 31 individuals, whereas in 2011, the 0-15 age group was the largest with 29 individuals.

The distribution of fatal crashes across speed zones remained broadly similar year-over-year, with the 55 mph zone accounting for the most incidents in both 2012 (18 crashes) and 2011 (21 crashes). The 45 mph zone was the second-highest in both periods, with 12 fatal crashes each year. There was a decrease in fatal crashes in lower speed zones, with incidents in 25 mph zones falling from 6 in 2011 to 2 in 2012.

Single-vehicle crashes, categorized as 'Not a Collision with Motor Vehicle In-Transport', were the most common type of fatal incident in both years, though their number decreased from 41 in 2011 to 31 in 2012. These events accounted for 57.4% of fatal crashes in 2012. Angle and front-to-front collisions were the next most frequent types, with counts remaining relatively stable year-over-year at 11 and 10 in 2012, respectively, compared to 9 of each in 2011.

Passenger cars and light trucks were the most common vehicles in fatal crashes for both periods. In 2012, 15 4-door sedans, 14 standard pickups, and 13 compact utility vehicles were involved. This contrasts with 2011, when standard pickups were more dominant with 29 vehicles involved, followed by compact utility vehicles (16). The number of motorcycles involved in fatal crashes saw a slight decrease from 7 in 2011 to 6 in 2012.

Fatal crashes occurred predominantly on rural roadways in both years, a common pattern often associated with higher speeds and longer emergency response times. In 2012, 35 of the 54 fatal crashes (64.8%) were on rural roads, compared to 39 of 63 fatal crashes (61.9%) in 2011. While the total number of fatal crashes in both settings decreased, the proportion of incidents on rural roads slightly increased.

The distribution of fatal crashes by roadway functional class shifted year-over-year. In 2012, Interstates saw the highest number of fatal crashes with 20 incidents, an increase from 16 in 2011. Conversely, fatal crashes on 'Principal Arterial - Other' roadways decreased from 13 in 2011 to 6 in 2012. 'Major Collector' roads saw an increase from 8 fatal crashes in 2011 to 11 in 2012.

In both years, drivers were the largest group of individuals involved in fatal crashes, with 83 recorded in 2012 and 91 in 2011. The number of passengers also decreased from 75 to 52. The number of pedestrians and bicyclists involved remained low but also saw a slight decrease, with pedestrian counts falling from 9 to 8 and bicyclist counts from 3 to 1.

The number of fatalities resulting from these crashes decreased from 72 in 2011 to 59 in 2012. The number of individuals with minor injuries also saw a substantial drop from 44 to 24. In contrast, the count of people with serious injuries remained stable at 18 in 2012, compared to 17 in the prior year.

There was a notable improvement in safety equipment usage among vehicle occupants involved in fatal crashes. The number of individuals recorded as using no safety equipment dropped by 37.7%, from 53 in 2011 to 33 in 2012. Concurrently, the number of occupants reported using a shoulder and lap belt increased from 68 to 80, despite a lower total number of people involved in these crashes.

Frontal impacts, designated as '12 Clock Point', were the most frequent point of impact in both years. The number of vehicles sustaining frontal impacts in fatal crashes increased from 46 in 2011 to 54 in 2012. In contrast, 'Non-Collision' events, which can include rollovers, decreased from 14 incidents in 2011 to 8 in 2012.

Single-vehicle crashes were the most common type of fatal incident in both periods, though their count decreased from 36 in 2011 to 29 in 2012. These crashes accounted for 53.7% of all fatal incidents in 2012, down slightly from 57.1% in the prior year. The number of two-vehicle fatal crashes also declined from 23 to 19, while three-vehicle crashes saw a small increase from 4 to 6.