Target Zero Team Saves 70 Lives in 1 Year

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As a Kirkland personal injury lawyer working at an Everett auto accident law firm I have too often seen the devastation a family faces after the wrongful death of a loved one that was involved in an alcohol-related auto accident. One year ago today the Washington State Patrol began a new program called “Target Zero” with the aim of bringing drunk driving accidents down to zero by the year 2030. The Target Zero program is right now being implemented in three test counties (King, Pierce and Snohomish) and in the five years preceding the Target Zero program these counties has a combined average of 203 people killed yearly in alcohol-related auto accidents.

The Target Zero team consists of 21 Washington State Troopers and sergeants, with occasional help from local sheriff’s deputies and city police officers. Over the course of the year they arrested more than 3,400 impaired drivers; that translates into hundreds of lives saved by getting drunk drivers off the roads.

Within one year the Target Zero team was able to bring the average of people killed in alcohol-related accidents down from 203 to 133; a difference of 70 lives. Drunk driving deaths are down nationwide and statewide but the drop seen by the Target Zero team in their three test counties was significantly lower than the general trend.

The project is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and according to Washington State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste results are measured by the reduction in fatalities. When the troopers are out in full force they can see a positive impact on the amount of all auto accidents, not just those related to drunk drivers. Because they are highly visible and have a significant amount of troopers on the road at one time, drivers tend to slow down and drive in a safer manner. With such positive results after just one year the Target Zero team is right on track with their goals.