Fatal motor vehicle crashes in the state jumped up more than 15 percent in 2015 compared to 2014, according to new data released by the Arizona Department of Transportation.
The total number of fatal crashes rose to 895 in 2015, and there is a trend toward more fatal crashes this decade. According to ADOT, this could be due to factors like people driving more in recent years, as well as growth in the state.
"Really there’s no getting away from the primary factors here," said Doug Nintzel of ADOT. "It’s human behavior, speeding, not enough people buckling up, and about a third of people killed were involved in alcohol-related crashes."
The number of pedestrians killed in crashes rose to 161 in 2015 from 155 the year before, though crashes involving pedestrians declined to 1,399 from 1,565 in 2014.