AHEAD OF HOLIDAY TRAVEL, ACHI UNVEILS NEW TOOL TO EXAMINE ARKANSAS ROADWAY FATALITY DATA

LITTLE ROCK ― As many Arkansans plan to hit the road to travel for Thanksgiving, the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement has launched an interactive dashboard that provides an in-depth look at Arkansas’ roadway fatality statistics. The dashboard provides data on the 4,089 roadway fatalities in the state between 2016 and 2022.

Created in partnership with the Arkansas State Police, the dashboard contains information on where roadway fatalities occurred in the state, trends over time, demographics of the people who died, and the role of risky behaviors such as failure to use seatbelts, helmets, or other protections. The dashboard is available at achi.net/publications/arkansas-roadway-fatalities.

“Holidays are a time for families and friends to come together, but increased traffic on the state’s roadways unfortunately raises the risk of traffic fatalities,” said ACHI Health Policy Director Craig Wilson. “Arkansas has one of the highest roadway fatality rates in the country, and fatalities have increased in recent years. I encourage all Arkansans to protect themselves, their families, and others by buckling up, obeying speed limits, and being attentive to pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.”

ACHI analyzed Arkansas data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System to create the dashboard. Key findings from the analysis include:

• In 2022, Arkansas had the fourth-highest roadway fatality rate in the nation with 21.1 deaths per 100,000 people.
• In 50% of motorist fatalities during the period of study, no restraint was used by vehicle occupants.
• 20% of roadway fatalities involved speeding.
• 57% of motorcycle occupants who died were not wearing a helmet.
• Monroe, Lawrence and Calhoun counties had the highest rates of roadway fatalities in the state. Overall, rural counties in Arkansas experienced higher rates of roadway fatalities compared to urban counties.

More of ACHI’s findings, including fatality rates by county, are available in an infographic at achi.net/publications/data-watch-arkansas-roadway-fatalities-2016-2022.

ACHI is a nonpartisan, independent health policy center that serves as a catalyst for improving the health of all Arkansans through evidence-based research, public issue advocacy, and collaborative program development.